QL(EE 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 
CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


a  i4 


Panorama  from  the  Campanile  of  St.  Mark. 


OR 


a^enfce,  apefcfofcai  ana 


BY 


CLARA   ERSKINE   CLEMENT 

AUTHOR  OF  "HANDBOOK  OF  LEGENDARY  AND  MYTHOLOGICAL 

ART,"  "LIFE  OF  CHARLOTTE  CUSHMAN,"  "ELEANOR 

MAITLAND,  A  NOVEL,"  ETC. 


Blustrateti 


BOSTON 
ESTES  AND   LAURIAT 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  189S, 
BY  ESTES  AND  LAURIAT. 


AU  rightt  reserved. 


Sntorrstto 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO 1 

II.     A  SUMMER  DAY 15 

III.  THE  DOGES:  THEIR  POWER  AND  THEIR  ACHIEVEMENTS  25 

IV.  THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE 48 

V.    MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS 72 

VI.  GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN   .  90 

VII.      MURANO   AND   THE    GLASS-MAKERS 121 

VIII.  MARINO    FALIERO;    VETTORE   PISANI    AND   CARLO 

ZENO 140 

IX.     BURANO  AND  TORCELLO 163 

X.  THE  Two  FOSCARI;  CARMAGNOLA  AND  COLLEONI  .  175 

XL     AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE 202 

XII.  VENETIAN  WOMEN:   CATERINA   CORNARO,  ROSALBA 

CARRIERA 218 

XIII.  THE  ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE 245 

XIV.  THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA 259 

XV.     GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM 275 

XVI.     SAINTS  AND  OTHERS 303 

XVII.     HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS 319 

XVIII.     PALACES  AND  PICTURES 334 

XIX.  THE  ACCADEMIA;  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE      .     .     .  356 


INDEX 37] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

PANORAMA  FROM  THE  CAMPANILE  OF  ST.  MARK     .    .    .      Frontispiece 

CATHEDRAL  OF  SAN  MARCO 6 

OFF  FOR  A  SUMMER  DAY 15 

DUCAL  PALACE i 27 

FESTIVAL  SCENE,  BRIDGE  OF  THE  RIALTO 76 

CHURCH  OF  SANTA  MARIA  DELLA  SALUTE 81 

BRIDGE  OF  THE  RIALTO 107 

MOLD  OF  SAN  MARCO;  COLUMNS  OF  EXECUTION 149 

THE  PIAZZETTA  ;  DUCAL  PALACE  ;  SAN  MARCO 180 

THE  BRIDGE  OF  SIGHS 203 

MUSEO   ClVICO;  FORMERLY  PALAZZO  FfiRRARA,   LATER  FoNDACO 

DEI  TURCHI 247 

PIAZZA  OF  ST.  MARK 259 

HORSES  OF  ST.  MARK 262 

CAMPANILE  OF  ST.  MARK 266 

INTERIOR  OF  SAN  MARCO;  ENTRANCE  TO  THE  CHOIR     ....  270 

TORRE  DELL'  OROLOGIO;  CLOCK  TOWER 273 

CA'  D'  ORO,  ON  THE  GRAND  CANAL 334 

DARIO  PALACE,  ON  THE  GRAND  CANAL 338 

SALA   DEL  COLLEGIO;  VOTIVE   PICTURE   OF  THE  BATTLE  OF  LE- 

PANTO,  BY  VERONESE 342 

COURT  OF  THE  DUCAL  PALACE  ;  GIANTS'  STAIRCASE 354 


THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC; 

OB, 

VENICE,  MEDLEVAL  AND  MODERN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

TO-DAY  AND  LONG   AGO. 

THE  Venice  which  one  visits  to-day  is  so  curiously  a 
part  and  not  a  part  of  the  ancient  Venice  of  which 
we  dream,  that  one  feels,  when  in  that  sea-enveloped  and 
fairy-like  city,  a  strange  sense  of  duality,  —  of  being  a  veri- 
table antique  and  an  equally  veritable  modern.  He  has  a 
genuine  sympathy  with  the  past,  and  regrets  that  he  has 
not  the  enchanter's  wand  to  bring  it  all  back  again,  —  long 
enough,  at  least,  for  him  to  revel  in  its  magnificence. 

If  he  believes  in  reincarnation,  he  is  speedily  convinced 
that  he  was  once  a  Venetian  indeed ;  else  how  could  he  feel 
so  much  at  home,  and  how  love  Venice  as  he  does !  And 
yet,  alas !  he  cannot  quite  lose  his  modem  point  of  view. 

The  first  emotion  is  all  delight,  and  a  delight  that  never 
loses  its  thrill ;  for  until  the  time  comes  for  reflection,  we 
are  under  the  charm  of  a  perfect  atmosphere,  of  skies  of 
liquid  blue,  tinged  at  times  with  crimsons,  gold,  and  violets, 
such  as  come  only  from  Nature's  loom ;  of  music  and  soft, 
fascinating  speech;  of  mysterious  labyrinths  and  sunlit 
spaces,  —  in  a  word,  under  the  spell  of  Venice.  And  if 

i 


2  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Time  brings  to  us  the  thought  of  the  other  side  of  the 
picture,  —  the  decay  which  is  stealthily  doing  its  sad  work, 
the  grayness  when  it  is  gray,  and  all  the  pathos  which 
ever  attends  a  queen  uncrowned, — -yet  through  all  and 
above  all  is  the  joy  and  pleasure  which  having  once  been 
ours,  we  are  resolved  to  keep. 

To  sail  from  Trieste  in  an  evening  of  the  spring,  and 
make  one's  first  approach  to  Venice  in  the  early  morning, 
affords  an  experience  that  one  should  not  forego.  With 
the  clear  sun  rising  behind,  surrounded  by  the  marvellous 
waters  blushing  in  every  color  of  the  rainbow  beneath  his 
rays,  and  the  pearly  tinted  city  lifting  itself  from  this  many- 
colored  sea,  as  if  in  welcome,  every  poetic  and  artistic  sense 
is  filled  to  overflowing. 

Can  this  coloring  be  described  in  words  ?  Alas !  no. 
For  when  the  sea  is  likened  to  liquid  fire,  broken  into 
scintillations  and  spread  over  a  quivering  background  of 
sea-blue  and  sea-green  waves,  the  half  has  not  been  said. 
When  the  eye  rests  on  some  far-away  sand,  dun  and 
sombre  in  the  distance,  what  vividness  of  flaming  red  and 
glorious  orange  comes  out  in  the  middle  ground,  while 
nearer  the  blues  and  greens  are  mingled  with  a  shimmer- 
ing silver !  The  atmosphere  itself  seems  tinted  by  reflec- 
tions from  Aurora's  garlands,  and  the  strangely  luminous 
blue  sky  smiles  over  all. 

"Then  lances  and  spangles  and  spars  and  bars 
Are  broken  and  shivered  and  strewn  on  the  sea ; 
And  around  and  about  me  tower  and  spire 
Start  from  the  billows  like  tongues  of  fire." 

To  the  south  stretches  the  long  island  reaching  from  the 
Porto  di  Lido  to  Malamocco,  its  sands  now  sparkling  like 
gems.  The  fort  of  San  Niccolo  guards  the  entrance  to  the 
Lagoon ;  the  little  island  of  St.  Elena  is  passed,  and  Mti- 
rano  is  seen  to  the  north.  But  glances  only  can  be  spared 
for  these ;  for  Venice  itself,  with  its  towers  and  domes,  its 


TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO.  3 

belfries,  spires,  and  crosses,  its  palaces  all  lacework  and 
arabesques,  rises  above,  while  all  around,  on  the  canal, 
numbers  of  light,  curiously  shaped  boats  and  sombre  gon- 
dolas are  gathering,  —  their  boatmen  clamoring  for  news 
and  customers. 

Descending,  as  in  a  dream,  we  enter  a  gondola  for  the 
first  time.  The  Giardini  Pubblici  is  passed,  and  soon 
one  stands  on  the  Piazzetta  and  enters  the  Piazza  of  St. 
Mark,  feeling  as  if  he  had  passed  through  a  living,  moving 
transformation  scene,  and  been  dropped  into  the  middle 
of  the  twelfth  century.  And  why  not  ?  For  at  this  early 
hour  the  Piazza  seems  consecrated  to  the  Past.  The  few 
boatmen,  fruit-sellers,  and  lazzaroni  who  are  there  might 
belong  to  the  Middle  Ages  as  well  as  to  the  nineteenth 
century. 

Why  might  they  not  have  seen  that  grave  procession 
which  in  1177  passed  into  the  Chapel  of  San  Marco  to 
celebrate  the  reconciliation  of  a  Pope  and  an  Emperor,  — 
that  day  when  proud  Frederick  Barbarossa  so  nobly  proved 
his  greatness  ? 

He  had  struggled  against  the  Church  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  spirit  of  independent  government  on  the  other, 
with  a  determination  and  bravery  such  as  few  men  in  all 
history  have  shown. 

Threatened  with  excommunication  by  Pope  Adrian  IV., 
and  actually  laid  under  the  ban  by  Alexander  III.,  Fred- 
erick refused  to  recognize  him  as  Pope,  and  set  up  four 
anti-popes,  one  after  another,  who  died,  as  if  their  position 
brought  its  own  fatal  curse.  During  sixteen  years  he  car- 
ried matters  with  so  high  a  hand  that  he  successfully  defied 
Alexander  and  Italy ;  and  the  much  humiliated  Pope  wan- 
dered from  court  to  court,  seeking  the  aid  of  one  kingdom 
after  another,  always  in  vain. 

Some  States  frankly  acknowledged  their  fear  of  Barba- 
rossa; others  dared  not  meet  the  sure  vengeance  of  the 


4  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Ghibellines  which  would  follow  the  espousal  of  his  cause ; 
Sicily  could  give  him  a  home,  but  could  not  seat  him 
firmly  on  his  throne;  and  all  eyes  began  to  turn  to  the 
Republic  of  the  Sea. 

The  Barbarossa  scarcely  gave  Italy  time  to  rise  from 
beneath  his  tread  and  recover  herself  from  one  of  his  dis- 
astrous marches  through  her  territory,  marking  his  route 
by  flames  and  ruin,  before  he  again  appeared  with  his  bar- 
baric army,  pillaging  and  destroying  all  that  had  escaped 
his  last  visitation,  and  returning  to  his  Northern  throne  in 
triumph.  At  last  he  turned  his  face  towards  the  Eternal 
City  for  the  fifth  time,  only  to  find  that  the  Confederacy 
of  the  Lombards  had  raised  a  barrier  against  which  he 
beat  himself  in  vain.  He  was  repulsed  in  repeated  engage- 
ments ;  and  after  the  battle  of  Legnano,  May,  1176,  he  saw 
the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the  audacious  policy  by  which 
he  had  so  long  dominated  at  home  and  abroad. 

Soon  after  this  first  humiliation  of  his  arch  enemy,  Alex- 
ander decided  to  appeal  to  the  Venetians  for  succor ;  and 
early  in  1177  he  sailed  from  Goro,  attended  by  five  cardi- 
nals and  ambassadors  from  the  King  of  Sicily,  who  had 
fitted  out  a  papal  squadron  of  eleven  galleys. 

After  some  disasters  and  perils,  his  Holiness  reached 
Venice  at  evening  on  March  23,  and  was  lodged  in  the 
Abbey  of  San  Niccolo.  The  Doge,  the  nobles,  and  the 
clergy  made  haste  next  day  to  welcome  the  Holy  Father 
to  Venice ;  and  after  a  service  in  San  Marco,  where  he  gave 
his  benediction  to  the  people,  the  Doge  Sebastiano  Ziani 
escorted  him  to  a  palace  at  San  Silvestro,  which  was  his 
home  so  long  as  he  remained  at  Venice. 

The  Venetians  now  sent  two  ambassadors  to  Frederick 
at  Naples  to  arrange,  if  possible,  a  peace  between  the  Pope 
and  the  Emperor.  The  bare  mention  of  Alexander  as  the 
true  successor  of  Saint  Peter  so  enraged  Frederick  that 
he  could  scarcely  speak  his  words  of  defiance :  — 


TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO.  5 

"Go  and  tell  your  Prince  and  his  people  that  Frederick, 
King  of  the  Romans,  demands  at  their  hands  a  fugitive  and 
a  foe ;  that  if  they  refuse  to  deliver  him  to  me,  I  shall  deem 
and  declare  them  the  enemies  of  my  empire ;  and  that  I  will 
pursue  them  by  land  and  by  sea  until  I  have  planted  my  vic- 
torious eagles  on  the  gates  of  St.  Mark." 

Whatever  regret  the  Venetians  may  have  had  at  being 
thus  forced  to  protect  their  guest  and  punish  so  insulting 
a  foe,  they  immediately  prepared  thirty-four  galleys,  com- 
manded by  the  flower  of  their  nobility,  among  whom  was 
the  son  of  the  Doge  Ziani ;  and  Ziani  himself  assumed  the 
chief  command. 

Barbarossa's  fleet  was  more  than  double  in  number,  and 
under  the  command  of  his  son  Otho.  On  the  26th  of  May, 
on  the  stairs  of  the  Piazzetta,  Alexander  girded  upon  Ziani 
a  splendid  sword,  and  gave  him  his  blessing.  Feeling  the 
great  responsibility  they  had  assumed,  —  for  not  only  the 
holy  cause,  but  the  glory  of  Venice  was  in  their  keeping, — 
the  Venetians  fiercely  contested  the  day.  Not  less  desper- 
ate the  army  of  the  German  prince,  and  not  less  bravely 
did  he  fight.  But  after  six  hours  of  dreadful  slaughter,  he 
found  himself  a  prisoner,  with  forty  of  his  ships  in  the 
bands  of  the  enemy,  and  his  whole  following  completely 
routed. 

Otho  was  at  once  released,  having  solemnly  sworn  to 
persuade  his  father  to  a  reconciliation  with  Alexander.  A 
promise  faithfully  kept ;  for  although  this  dreadful  defeat 
at  Salboro  must  have  largely  contributed  to  the  repentance 
of  Barbarossa,  he  never  again  attempted  to  rebel  against 
his  Holiness. 

The  Pontiff  met  Ziani  at  the  spot  on  which  they  had 
parted,  and  all  who  had  survived  the  battle  followed  them 
to  San  Marco  in  triumph  and  thankfulness;  and  there 
Alexander  gave  the  Doge  a  ring,  saying,  "  Take  this,  my 
son,  as  a  token  of  the  true  and  perpetual  dominion  of  the 


6  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

ocean,  which  thou  and  thy  successors  shall  wed  every  year, 
on  this  Day  of  the  Ascension,  in  order  that  posterity  may 
know  that  the  sea  belongs  to  Venice  by  right  of  conquest, 
and  that  it  is  subject  to  her,  as  a  bride  is  to  her  husband." 

And  now  began  the  somewhat  difficult  arrangement  of 
a  meeting  between  Frederick  and  the  Pope,  which  was  at 
last  appointed  at  Venice,  where  the  Emperor  arrived  on 
Saturday  evening,  July  23.  Six  cardinals  met  him  at  San 
Niccolo  Del  Lido,  and  formally  absolved  him  from  the 
papal  curse,  that  he  might  not  enter  the  city  while  under 
the  ban. 

On  Sunday  morning  the  Pope,  in  his  pontifical  robes, 
sat  enthroned  at  San  Marco.  (In  the  vestibule,  by  the 
centre  portal,  a  lozenge  of  red  marble  in  the  pavement 
marks  the  historic  spot.)  On  his  right  hand  was  the  Doge, 
and  on  his  left  the  Patriarch  of  Grado ;  while  the  ambas- 
sadors of  England,  France,  and  Sicily,  the  delegates  from 
the  free  cities,  and  a  throng  of  nobles  and  cardinals  and 
other  ecclesiastical  dignitaries,  all  in  splendid  attire,  gave 
dignity  and  brilliancy  to  the  scene. 

And  now  trumpets  are  heard,  and  the  tread  of  the  pro- 
cession conducting  Barbarossa  across  the  Piazza.  The 
doors  of  San  Marco  are  wide  open,  and  guards  are  at  each 
portal  to  hold  baclf  the  pressing  crowds  of  citizens  eager 
to  see  the  grand  ceremony.  The  procession  is  passing  in ; 
and  from  out  the  multitude  of  armed  warriors,  with  glis- 
tening helmets  and  shining  lances,  nobles  in  richly  flowing 
togas,  and  wealthy  commoners  in  brilliant,  graceful  dra- 
peries, one  figure  stands  out  alone. 

The  Emperor  advances  with  a  martial  step,  and  his 
whole  bearing  bespeaks  a  man  great  even  in  submission. 
His  serious  face  is  calm,  his  crowned  helmet  is  on  his 
head,  and  his  red  beard  falls  far  down  on  his  breast.  His 
armor  is  not  concealed  by  his  flowing  mantle,  and  his 
slashed  surcoat  of  dark,  rich  velvet,  bordered  with  gold 


Cathedral  of  San  Me, 


TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO.  7 

embroidery,  discloses  a  tunic  of  more  delicate  tint  and 
stuff.  On  his  breast  and  partly  hidden  by  his  beard  is 
embroidered  a  large  Crusader's  cross.  In  his  splendid 
jewelled  baldric,  on  the  right,  is  a  large  sheathed  knife, 
while,  on  the  left,  his  heavy  long  sword  reaches  almost 
to  the  ground.  Well  may  the  historian  Hazlitt  say :  — 

"  It  was  certainly  a  grand  and  imposing  spectacle,  and  one 
which  was  apt  to  raise  in  the  breasts  of  the  spectators  many 
strange  and  conflicting  emotions ;  and  while  the  greater  part 
of  those  present  looked  on  such  a  consummation  perhaps  as 
the  triumph  of  a  great  man,  the  latter  solemnly  declared  that 
to  God  alone  was  the  glory. 

"Assuming  a  lowly  attitude,  Barbarossa  approached  the 
steps  of  the  throne  on  which  Ranuci  (Alexander)  was  seated, 
and,  casting  aside  his  purple  mantle,  he  prostrated  himself 
before  the  Pope. 

"  The  sufferings  and  persecutions  of  eighteen  years  recurred 
at  that  moment  to  the  memory  of  his  Holiness  ;  and  a  sincere 
and  profound  conviction  that  he  was  the  instrument  chosen  of 
Heaven  to  proclaim  the  predestined  triumph  of  Right  might 
have  actuated  the  Pontiff,  as  he  planted  his  foot  on  the  neck 
of  the  Emperor,  and  borrowing  the  words  of  Da.vid,  cried : 

"  '  Thou  shalt  go  on  the  lion  and  the  adder ;  the  young  lion 
and  the  dragon  shalt  thou  tread  under  thy  feet.' 

"  '  It  is  not  to  thee,  but  to  Saint  Peter,  that  I  kneel,'  mut- 
tered the  fallen  tyrant. 

" '  Both  to  me  and  to  Saint  Peter,'  insisted  Eanuci,  pressing 
his  heel  still  more  firmly  on  the  neck  of  Frederick ;  and  it 
was  not  until  the  latter  appeared  to  acquiesce  that  the  Pope 
relaxed  his  hold,  and  suffered  his  Majesty  to  rise. 

"A  Te  Deum  closed  this  remarkable  ceremony;  and  on 
quitting  the  cathedral,  the  Emperor  held  the  sacred  stirrup 
and  assisted  his  tormentor  to  mount." 

How  the  recollection  of  this  narrative  incites  the  fancy, 
and  how  the  Piazza,  but  just  now  so  empty,  is  crowded  to 


8  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

overflowing  with  representatives  from  East  and  West  and 
the  Isles  of  the  Sea ! 

From  the  different  stories  of  the  Ducal  Palace,  and 
extending  quite  around  the  square,  from  every  possible 
projection,  float  the  standards  and  banners  that  have  been 
taken  from  the  enemies  of  the  Venetians ;  while  the  great 
scarlet  banner,  with  its  embroidered  Lion  of  St.  Mark, 
waves  gently  above  the  principal  entrance  to  San  Marco, 
where  the  bronze  horses  now  stand.  Rich  stuffs  in  the 
brilliant  coloring  of  Eastern  looms,  and  cloths  of  gold  and 
silver  fall  from  the  balconies  thronged  with  ladies  press- 
ing eagerly  forward  to  watch  all  that  happens  in  the 
square  below. 

On  the  roofs  are  hundreds  of  human  beings,  and  every 
corner  that  affords  a  view  of  San  Marco  and  the  Piazza  is 
fully  occupied.  Men  perch  like  birds  on  such  slight  and 
insecure  footholds  that  they  seem  like  colored  statues  made 
fast  to  the  edifices  themselves.  Here  and  there  a  few 
proud  chargers  champ  their  bits  and  strive  to  free  them- 
selves from  their  grooms,  who  wait  impatiently,  as  we 
do,  for  the  sound  of  the  trumpets  to  proclaim  the  rising 
of  this  august  conclave. 

Just  here  a  soft,  musical  voice  deprecatingly  suggests : 
"  The  Signior  has  not  chosen  his  lodgings,  and  one  knows 
not  where  to  take  his  luggage." 

THE   FEAST   OP  LA   SENSA. 

Pope  Alexander,  as  indeed  he  ought,  wished  to  confer 
all  the  benefits  in  his  power  upon  the  Venetians,  and  gave 
the  papal  sanction,  rather  unnecessarily  as  it  would  seem, 
to  certain  customs  which  this  independent  people  had  for 
some  time  followed  without  authority.  They  were  now 
duly  authorized  to  seal  their  letters  and  despatches  with 
lead  rather  than  with  wax;  to  use  tapers  and  trumpets, 


TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO.  9 

and  even  to  display  the  silken  canopy  and  sword  of  state 
when  ceremony  made  them  fitting.  This  silken  canopy  is 
disagreeably  contracted  into  an  umbrella  by  some  over- 
careful  writers,  but  there  is  good  reason  to  believe  that 
long  before  this  time  the  Doges  had  indulged  in  this 
luxury. 

Before  the  departure  of  the  Pontiff  he  celebrated  a  High 
Mass  and  preached  a  sermon  in  San  Marco,  and  at  the  end 
conferred  upon  the  Doge  the  highest  and  most  flattering 
favor  that  could  be  bestowed  upon  a  temporal  ruler,  by 
descending  from  the  pulpit  and  presenting  him  with  a 
consecrated  Golden  Rose,  in  token  of  friendship  for  Ziani 
and  for  Venice. 

These  seals  and  umbrellas  and  trumpets  and  tapers 
made  little  difference  to  the  people ;  the  Golden  Rose 
gratified  their  pride  and  love  of  their  idolized  Republic ; 
but  it  was  with  the  Marriage  of  the  Adriatic  —  the  An- 
data  alii  Due  Castelli,  as  it  was  called  by  the  Venetians  — 
that  they  were  principally  concerned ;  that  characteristic 
Venetian  fete,  which  soon  became  famous  in  all  the  world. 
Alexander  had  comprehended  their  love  of  pageants,  their 
luxuriousness,  and  pride  of  wealth. 

And  now,  as  if  by  magic,  the  Bucentaur  appears ;  and 
the  dignity  and  splendor  of  this  galley  vastly  increased  the 
magnificence  and  effectiveness  of  state  occasions.  It  was 
about  twenty-one  feet  wide  in  the  broadest  part,  and  nearly 
five  times  as  long.  The  lower  deck  was  manned  by  one 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  rowers,  who  rowed  with  gilded 
oars,  while  forty  other  mariners  managed  the  evolutions 
of  the  ship.  The  outside  was  covered  with  carvings,  and 
decorated  in  gold  and  purple.  The  prow  bore  figures  em- 
blematic of  the  Republic,  and  the  beak  was  shaped  into  a 
Lion  of  St.  Mark. 

The  upper  deck,  devoted  to  the  illustrious  strangers  and 
guests  of  the  Republic,  and  to  the  Dogaressa  and  other 


10  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

patrician  ladies,  was  finished  in  a  grand  cabin,  with  a  splen- 
did carved  ceiling,  and  divided  by  rows  of  graceful  pillars. 
On  the  outside  this  saloon  was  covered  with  the  richest 
velvet,  and  furnished  within  with  luxurious  cushions.  The 
Doge  had  an  equally  splendid  cabin  in  the  stern,  encircled 
by  a  balcony  from  which  the  whole  fete  could  be  seen  ;  and 
from  a  second  balcony  outside  the  prow  he  dropped  the 
ring  into  the  sea,  proudly  repeating  the  form  of  words 
given  him  by  the  Pontiff.  Sails  there  were  none,  but  from 
the  top  of  a  huge  mast  floated  the  scarlet  banner  of  Saint 
Mark,  with  an  image  of  the  lion  on  one  side,  and  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  on  the  other,  —  as  it  may  still  be  seen  in  the 
Municipal  Museum,  —  and  beside  this  sacred  standard  hung 
the  white  flag,  the  gift  of  the  Pope. 

The  old  pictures  of  the  Bucentaur  represent  her  as 
crowded  with  ladies  in  splendid  attire,  all  intent  upon  the 
varied  and  curious  spectacle  around  them.  Here  was  a 
throng  of  boats,  galleys,  feluccas,  gondolas,  and  the  small, 
swift  boats  which  always  covered  the  canals  and  lagoons 
wherever  there  was  anything  of  interest  to  be  seen,  as 
quickly  as  a  crowd  on  foot  now  gathers  in  the  streets  of 
a  modern  city. 

There  were  the  patrician  gondolas,  each  vying  with  the 
other  in  the  costliness  and  brilliancy  of  its  carving  and 
decorations.  The  houses  in  the  centre,  with  curtains 
drawn,  revealed  the  lovely  women  in  their  gorgeous  and 
picturesque  costumes,  and  the  music  of  fifes  and  lutes 
added  to  the  joyousness  of  all ;  while  the  sound  of  the 
church  bells,  as  they  grew  more  and  more  indistinct^ 
served  to  emphasize  the  deeper  meaning  of  the  day  and 
ceremony,  which  was  almost  forgotten  in  this  dazzling 
scene. 

Then,  too,  the  "Anti-Doge"  was  always  there,  —  the 
representative  of  the  poor  people,  chosen  by  them,  and 
usually  the  best  gondolier  among  them.  On  some  half- 


TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO.  11 

ruined  boat  he  held  a  court  of  his  fellows,  all  wearing 
masks.  He  had  his  own  fifers,  who  fifed  anything  but 
well,  and  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  little  boats  he  per- 
formed all  sorts  of  buffoonish  trioks, —  now  offering  to  tow 
the  Bucentaur,  again  begging  for  a  seat  on  the  Ship  of 
State,  and  all  with  most  ridiculous  gestures  and  in  appar- 
ent good  faith.  Whatever  he  did  was  received  with 
laughter  and  merriment,  not  only  by  his  friends  but  by 
the  patricians  as  well. 

At  length  the  castles  of  San  Andrea  and  San  Niccolo 
were  reached ;  arid  just  outside  them  the  ring  was  dropped 
into  the  majestic  Gulf  of  Venice.  At  this  moment  every 
sound  was  hushed.  Each  one  of  the  vast  throng  desired 
to  hear  the  words  of  the  Sposalizio  (marriage) ;  and  im 
mediately  following  it  the  Patriarch  of  Venice  returned 
thanks  to  the  sea  for  all  its  blessings,  and  prayed  for  their 
continuance. 

With  the  first  buzz  that  indicated  the  close  of  these 
solemnities,  the  "Anti-Doge"  cast  an  iron  hoop  into  the 
water,  and  in  a  moment  gayety  reasserted  itself.  The 
return  to  Venice  was  in  some  sense  a  race  for  the  smaller 
craft ;  the  Bucentaur  and  the  patrician  boats  were  en- 
livened by  songs  and  witty  persiflage ;  and  the  whole 
evening  was  given  up  to  merry-makings  of  various  sorts. 

Doubtless,  in  the  earliest  celebrations  of  this  marriage 
there  were  those  who  shook  their  heads,  looked  solemn, 
and  tried  to  be  serious  and  even  sad  in  the  midst  of  the 
festivity,  recalling  and  regretting  the  more  simple  cele- 
bration of  Ascension  Day,  which  had  been  good  enough 
for  their  fathers,  and  was  consequently  fine  enough  for 
them.  Such  people  exist  everywhere  and  at  all  periods ; 
but  what  was  the  difference  ? 

At  the  end  of  the  tenth  century,  and  almost  two  hun- 
dred years  before  the  visit  of  Pope  Alexander,  when,  as 
the  record  says,  "  there  was  no  custom  of  triumphs," 


12  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Pietro  Orseolo  returned  from  his  victorious  expedition 
against  the  pirates  aud  corsairs  of  Africa,  who  had  been 
the  scourge  of  all  the  coasts  of  the  Adriatic.  He  had 
cleared  the  sea  of  robbers,  and  greatly  extended  the 
dominion  of  Venice. 

For  the  first  time  a  triumphal  entrance  was  involunta- 
rily made.  The  grateful  populace  surrounded  the  victor 
and  attended  him  to  the  Great  Council,  where  the  most 
flattering  praises  were  addressed  to  him,  couched  in  mag- 
nificent words. 

Orseolo  had  set  out  on  his  expedition  on  Ascension  Day, 
and  on  its  first  anniversary  the  Feast  of  La  Sensa  was 
inaugurated.  In  a  large  barge,  quite  concealed  by  its 
covering  of  cloth  of  gold,  the  clergy  in  their  richest  vest- 
ments, wearing  all  the  sacred  jewels  and  ornaments,  left 
the  olive-groves  of  San  Pietro  in  Castello,  and  at  the  Lido 
met  the  still  more  magnificent  barge  of  the  Doge.  Then, 
as  in  later  days,  every  sort  of  boat  that  could  be  used  in 
all  Venice  was  there,  filled  with  all  conditions  of  people. 

The  ceremony  began  with  litanies  and  psalms,  after 
which  the  Bishop  rose  and  prayed  aloud :  "  Grant,  0  Lord, 
that  this  sea  may  be  to  us  and  to  all  who  sail  upon  it 
tranquil  and  quiet.  To  this  end  we  pray.  Hear  us,  good 
Lord."  Then  the  singers  intoned,  Aspergi  me,  0  Signor 
(Cleanse  thou  me,  0  Lord),  while  the  two  barges  approached 
each  other,  and  the  Bishop  sprinkled  the  Doge  and  the 
Court  with  holy  water,  and  what  remained  was  poured  into 
the  sea. 

This  simple  religious  rite,  celebrated  in  the  enchanting 
atmosphere  of  the  lovely,  blooming  season  of  the  year, 
must  have  deeply  moved  the  hearts  of  those  who  went 
down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  as  who  did  not  in  Venice  ?  It 
was  perfectly  adapted  to  the  initial  years  of  a  Republic 
when  aristocratic  rule  was  in  its  infancy ;  but  two  centu- 
ries later  all  was  changed,  and  the  Spoaalizio  was  in  accord 


TO-DAY  AND  LONG  AGO.  13 

with  Ziani  and  his  aims  as  truly  as  La  Sensa  represented 
Orseolo. 

There  are  those  who  question  all  the  story  of  the  ro- 
mantic incidents  of  Pope  Alexander's  visit  to  Venice.  To 
them  we  would  give  the  customary  and  most  satisfactory 
answer  of  the  Venetians :  "  Is  it  not  depicted  in  the  Hall 
of  the  Great  Council  ?  If  it  had  not  been  true,  our  good 
Venetians  would  never  have  painted  it." 

THE   BOATS  OP  MODERN  VENICE. 

Most  of  the  craft  one  sees  in  Venice  now  are  vastly  dif- 
ferent from  those  we  have  been  thinking  of.  The  gondolas, 
alas !  all  look  as  if  ready  for  a  funeral,  —  black,  only  som- 
bre black.  This  seems  an  unnecessary  extension  of  the 
time  when  the  sins  of  the  fathers  shall  be  visited  on  the 
children;  for  many  more  than  three  or  four  generations 
have  perambulated  these  fascinating  waters  in  these  dis- 
mal boats.  Why  should  the  undue  extravagance  of  the 
past,  which  was  curbed  by  this  monotonous  gloom,  forbid 
a  bit  of  cheerfulness  now,  hundreds  of  years  later? 

It  may  be  fortunate  that  the  Bucentaur  went  up  in  fer- 
vent heat,  for  it  is  more  than  possible  that  it  might  not 
have  realized  our  ideal  of  what  it  should  be;  and  now 
each  one  can  gaze  in  imagination  at  just  what  he  would 
have  made  it  if  he  could.  But  we  would  like  to  have  some 
galleys  remaining,  and  rowed  by  slaves  or  prisoners.  It 
would  afford  an  outlet  for  sympathy  and  pity,  the  exer- 
cise of  which  virtues  is  good  for  us,  and  which  are  so 
often,  even  in  Venice,  bestowed  on  those  who  neither 
merit  nor  need  them. 

But  we  have  the  felucca,  the  sandolo,  the  bissone,  and 
innumerable  little  boats  to  add  life  to  the  canals  and 
lagoons.  If  we  can  see  numbers  of  these,  with  their  va- 
riously colored  sails,  running  the  gamut  from  white  to 


14  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

brilliant  orange  and  tawny  red,  with  here  and  there  those 
that  are  striped,  and  many  that  are  deliciously  patched 
and  resemble  Joseph's  coat  in  their  variety  of  tones,  —  if 
we  can  but  get  all  these  between  the  Riva  degli  Schiavoni 
and  the  Isola  di  San  Giorgio  Maggiore  at  the  sunset  hour, 
we  need  not  regret  not  having  lived  under  the  Doges. 

Never  were  colors  more  picturesquely  mingled ;  and  as 
they  pass  to  and  fro,  out  from  and  into  the  Giudecca,  we 
almost  forgive  the  gloom  of  the  gondolas,  especially  if  now 
and  then  one  adds  its  effect  in  contrast  with  the  brilliancy 
of  the  other  boats.  That  marvellous  Venetian  sunset !  It 
is  an  unending  subject.  One  talks  of  it,  writes  about  it, 
tries  to  exaggerate  it  and  fails  to  do  so,  and  can  never 
think  of  Venice  without  recalling  it.  It  is  like  a  vast  con- 
flagration, and  its  flames  seem  likely  to  lap  up  the  water 
it  blazes  over,  together  with  all  the  boats  and  men  who 
dare  to  row  or  sail  into  its  fiery  circle. 

But  we  must  not  omit  the  steamboats  that  now  traverse 
Venetian  waters.  What  can  we  say  of  them  ?  There  are 
two  views,  each  having  strong  supporters.  Perhaps  the 
larger  number  cry  out,  "Desecration  and  deterioration;" 
but  others  find  them  more  in  the  spirit  of  Venice  at  its 
best  than  anything  that  is  equally  prominent  in  the  mod- 
ern city. 

How  eagerly  did  the  old  "  makers  of  Venice  "  seize  on 
everything  that  could  advance  her  commerce  and  her  trade ! 
Would  they  have  hesitated  to  use  any  power  that  could 
save  their  ducats  and  their  time  ?  Ah,  no ;  and  the  glo- 
rious new  impulse  which  this  age  has  brought  to  United 
Italy  finds  expression  in  the  revival  of  her  industries,  and 
her  adoption  of  ideas  evolved  by  others  while  she  slept  the 
dreamless  sleep  from  which  she  now  awakens. 


Off  for  a  Summer  Day, 


CHAPTER    II. 

A   SUMMER  DAY. 

VENICE  in  summer  with  a  marine  artist  for  a  com- 
panion,—  could  anything  be  better?  An  artist 
from  early  dawn  to  dark,  from  the  top  of  his  curly  head 
to  the  soles  of  his  feet ;  an  artist  who  indeed  appreciates 
—  no,  perhaps  approves  would  be  more  nearly  true  —  the 
pictures  of  Titian  and  Tintoretto  on  a  rainy  day,  but  will 
have  none  of  them  in  any  kind  of  weather  when  the  sea 
can  be  studied  and  painted. 

The  summer  is  the  only  season  when  one  can  really 
know  modern  Venice ;  the  only  time  when  one  can  in  any 
good  degree  separate  himself  from  the  long  ago  and  live 
in  the  present ;  the  time  when  he  will,  in  spite  of  himself, 
turn  his  back  on  the  works  of  man  and  live  out  in  the 
world  that  God  created  before  palaces  and  churches,  ar- 
senals and  towers,  had  been  invented. 

The  most  delicious  of  days  is  that  when  in  the  cool 
morning  we  take  to  our  gondola,  with  our  artist  and  his 
traps,  the  books  that  we  think  we  shall  read  but  rarely 
do,  the  fancy  work  which  soon  loses  its  interest,  the  rugs 
on  which  to  lie  for  the  afternoon  siesta,  the  basket  with 
the  solid  luncheon,  a  second  with  fruit  and  sweets,  and  a 
third  with  wine.  And  when  our  little  maid  Anita,  so  busy 
in  the  house  that  she  can  scarcely  leave  it,  comes  with  her 
gay  handkerchief  but  half  arranged  about  her  shoulders, 
begging  pardon  for  her  tardiness  and  smiling  at  our  gon- 
dolier, Giacomo,  whom  she  calls  her  cousin  (?),  all  is  ready. 


16  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

We  pass  into  a  side  canal  to  do  a  necessary  housekeeping 
errand  ;  for  we  live  not  in  hotels,  —  not  we,  —  and  some- 
times, we  will  admit,  our  furniture  requires  repairs,  and 
frequently  we  must  buy  some  needful  article  which  we  fail 
to  find  in  our  "  completely  furnished  lodgings."  But  the 
effect  of  the  historic  name  of  our  palace  is  to  make  us  feel 
so  wealthy  that  we  do  not  regret  the  lire  that  we  spend 
with  the  proper  amount  of  haggling,  and  our  spacious 
quarters  and  carved  balconies  are  so  inexpensive  to  our 
American  minds  that  our  padrone  hears  no  complaints. 

Few  gondolas  are  yet  moving.  Cooing  pigeons,  pert 
sparrows,  and  swiftly  circling  swallows  are  searching  here 
and  there  for  any  stray  crumbs  that  will  afford  a  morning 
meal.  We  stop  at  a  traghetto  (gondola  stand),  and  Anita 
darts  away  and  disappears  on  her  errand.  We  mean- 
while watch  a  great  water-barge  which  has  just  arrived 
with  its  cargo  of  "  sweet  water  "  from  the  mainland.  How 
weary  the  men  look,  and  no  wonder;  for  to  Giacomo's 
questions  they  reply  that  two  days  have  passed  since  they 
set  sail.  The  winds  have  held  them  back,  but  they  hope 
that  the  same  weather  may  send  them  home  before  night ; 
and  as  they  are  safely  here,  why  complain  ?  The  small 
boats  are  there  ready  to  receive  the  water ;  and  the  wheezy 
little  engine  soon  fills  them,  and  they  go  off  to  replenish 
the  public  wells  by  means  of  their  long  hose. 

All  this  time,  as  we  watch  these  proceedings  with  inter- 
est, the  artist  has  been  sketching  like  mad.  Theoretically 
he  disdains  anything  inside  the  Grand  Canal ;  but  we  think 
that  "all  is  fish  that  comes  to  his  net"  in  the  way  of 
novelties  in  Venetian  life ;  and  it  is  wonderful  how  many 
such  despised  "pot-boilers"  he  sells. 

And  now  Anita  comes  tripping  down  with  the  coveted 
coffee-pot  she  had  begged  us  to  buy  now,  knowing  from 
experience  that  we  may  be  too  late  home  to  have  it  ready 
for  the  morning.  As  we  move  off,  we  ask  the  bargemen 


A   SUMMER   DAY.  17 

how  much  they  get  for  their  cargo,  and  are  much  excited 
by  their  answer,  "Cinque  lire,  signor."  One  dollar  for  all 
that!  One  loves  Venice  with  a  well-filled  purse  in  his 
pocket,  but  he  would  not  like  to  earn  his  living  at  Vene- 
tian prices  for  labor. 

Now,  our  business  ended,  we  are  really  ready  to  start, 
and  we  settle  ourselves  comfortably  to  enjoy  the  sights  on 
either  hand.  As  we  come  into  the  Grand  Canal,  some 
rosy  sunrise  colors  still  linger  in  the  east  and  remind  us 
of  Poussin,  who  declared  when  flying  from  Venice,  "  If  I 
stay  here,  I  shall  become  a  colorist ! "  With  this  reminder 
of  the  glorious  canvases  on  which  we  turn  our  backs  day 
after  day,  and,  to  be  frank,  now  rarely  think  of,  we  wonder 
at  the  spell  that  is  over  us. 

It  is  an  enchanting  spirit  of  do-nothing  that  possesses 
us ;  our  thoughts  wander  lazily  from  one  subject  to  another, 
but  never  rouse  us  to  energy  of  action.  We  think  com- 
placently of  the  artistic  treasures  of  every  kind  which  are 
within  our  reach,  —  for  which  when  in  Boston  we  long  with 
an  energy  of  desire  that  would  keep  us  going  from  San 
Marco  to  the  Ducal  Palace,  on  to  the  Frari  and  other 
churches,  and  so  through  the  whole  list  of  "  sights  "  with 
zealous  industry ;  and  yet,  now  we  are  here,  we  will  have 
none  of  them,  at  least  not  to-day.  October  will  come,  and 
bring  another  spirit  to  us.  But  now  Venice  is  enough. 
Its  changing  aspect,  its  clouds,  its  islands,  its  people,  —  in 
a  word,  its  boat  life  is  enough. 

Leaving  thus  behind  us  that  great  Past  which  at  other 
times  holds  us  with  its  wondrous  power,  we  find  full  com- 
pensation in  the  Venice  that  still  lives ;  and  of  this  Venice 
the  best  part  is  the  water  class  (if  one  may  use  this  term), 
the  robust,  frank,  joyous  survival  of  the  old  Republic, 
bubbling  and  growing  into  the  new  Italy  of  our  day. 

A  good  gondolier,  like  our  Giacomo,  is  a  treasure,  —  the 
sort  of  man  that  helps  one  to  respect  the  human  race  and 

2 


18  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

forget  how  many  of  another  sort  one  has  seen.  If  you 
allow  him  to  feel  himself  to  be  a  part  of  your  life,  he  will 
identify  himself  with  your  interests,  sympathize  in  your 
joys  and  sorrows,  and  tell  you  all  his  own.  We  must 
admit,  however,  that  there  is  another  kind,  and  that  a 
bad  gondolier  is  like  a  certain  little  girl  whom  we  all 
know,  —  from  bad  he  rapidly  goes  to  horrid. 

As  Giacomo  makes  us  his  confidant,  —  I  had  almost  said 
confessor,  —  we  find  the  gondolier's  life  to  be  a  happy  one, 
in  spite  of  its  surface  seeming  of  hardship  and  poverty. 
They  see  the  sun  whenever  it  shines,  and  breathe  the  fresh 
air;  their  exercise  develops  a  fine  physique;  polenta, 
bread,  and  wine  are  delicious  with  the  sauce  of  a  good 
appetite ;  and  being  a  most  conservative  race,  they  desire 
only  to  be  what  their  ancestors  were  in  past  centuries. 
They  go  rarely  to  church.  Custom  is  their  religion,  and 
at  each  traghetto  there  is  an  image  of  the  Virgin  ready 
to  grant  their  prayers  ;  and  all  their  good  or  ill  is  promptly 
referred  to  "  Our  Blessed  Madonna." 

A  country-flitting  for  a  few  days  in  the  summer,  with 
half  a  dozen  or  more  companions,  and  their  little  suppers 
in  the  winter  content  them  for  amusements,  while  an  extra 
treat  of  theatre  or  opera  makes  them  supremely  happy. 
And  on  festal  days  who  sees  more  than  the  gondolier  ?  If 
a  rowing-match  occurs,  with  what  excitement  does  he 
defend  his  favorite  champion !  Curiously  enough,  each 
contrada,  or  district,  has  its  own  customs  and  festivals, 
even  its  own  dialect  to  some  extent ;  and  while  each  one 
knows  intimately  the  affairs  of  his  own  contrada,  outside, 
that  quarter  he  knows  little,  and  little  is  known  of  him. 
All  this  has  Giacomo  taught  us ;  and  we  admire  his  honest 
face  as  he  touches  his  cap  and  asks  the  artist  where  we 
are  to  go. 

"Are  any  large  vessels  lying  off  the  Riva,  Giacomo?" 

"Si,  signor"  (another  touch  of  the  cap),  "an  Austrian 
Lloyd  came  in  last  evening." 


A  SUMMER  DAY.  19 

"  Then  let  us  lie  in  her  shade  awhile." 

Coming  to  our  vantage-ground,  where  even  the  extra 
canopy  on  our  gondola  could  not  have  sufficiently  les- 
sened the  heat  of  the  sun,  we  prepare  for  a  long  stay. 

The  water  is  magnificent.  The  sands  on  the  Lido 
have  been  stirred  by  the  wind,  and  the  opaque  green  sea  is 
mottled  with  yellow  stains.  The  fishing-boats  are  always 
fascinating,  and  claim  our  first  attention ;  some  are  already 
at  their  anchorage  near  the  public  gardens,  unloading  the 
"  catch  "  of  the  night ;  others,  still  some  distance  out,  are 
tacking  and  crossing  each  other's  bows  in  a  confusing 
fashion,  led  by  a  procession  coming  nearer  in ;  the  inany- 
hued  sails  with  their  curious  designs  —  full-blown  roses, 
stars  or  crescent  moons,  hearts  blood-red  and  pierced  by 
arrows  —  absorb  our  attention  as  imperatively  as  when  we 
first  saw  them  long  years  ago ;  and  our  artist  still  puts 
them  on  his  canvas  as  eagerly  as  if  he  had  not  done  it  a 
hundred  times  before,  and  others  of  his  sort  a  hundred 
thousand.  "  Xew  every  morning  and  fresh  every  evening  " 
can  be  repeated  in  Venice  with  rare  truthfulness. 

The  gondola  is  moored,  and  the  artist  hastily  sets  up 
his  easel  and  begins  his  work.  The  rowers  watch  him 
until  they  see  him  quite  absorbed,  and  then  by  signs  ask 
permission  of  Giacomo  to  leave  us  awhile.  A  little  signal- 
flag  soon  brings  a  row-boat  alongside,  and  takes  them  off. 
Anita's  fingers  are  already  flying  over  a  piece  of  pretty 
lace  which  is  always  in  her  hands  when  she  has  a  moment 
of  leisure.  It  is  at  such  times  as  this  that  we  learn  from 
Giacomo  many  things  that  we  have  not  read  in  books,  and 
question  him  about  the  customs  we  observe. 

To-day  a  steamboat  passing  at  the  moment  reminded  us 
that  we  had  heard  a  reference  to  a  strike  of  the  gondoliers 
when  the  vaporetti  first  appeared  at  Venice.  At  a  sign 
Giacomo  comes  near  enough  to  talk  to  us  in  a  quiet  tone ; 
and  as  he  advances,  cap  in  hand,  Anita  cannot  refrain  from 


20  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

darting  a  glance  at  his  handsome  face,  and  as  quickly  look- 
ing down  at  the  never-ending  lace. 

"Do  the  gondoliers  like  the  steamers,  Giacomo?" 

"  As  the  devil  loves  holy  water,  signora." 

"Have  you  ever  made  any  opposition  to  their  being 
here?" 

"  Undoubtedly,  signora.  When  first  they  began  to  run 
between  the  station  and  the  public  gardens,  we  made  a 
strike." 

"A  strike  of  gondoliers  in  Venice?  How  dreadful! 
How  did  it  end  ?  Tell  me  all  about  it,  Giacomo." 

"  Con  piacere,  signora.  It  was  on  the  Monday  before 
All  Soul's  Day  that  we  determined  on  the  strike ;  and  some 
loose-tongued  fellows  told  our  plans,  so  that  the  Syndic 
heard  the  tale  and  sent  for  some  leading  gondoliers  and 
tried  to  have  them  give  it  up.  But  we  held  fast,  and  on 
Tuesday  morning  not  a  man  nor  a  gondola  was  found  at 
the  traghetti.  But  at  each  one  the  image  of  Our  Lady 
was  decked  as  for  a  festival,  and  the  Italian  flag  was  flying 
to  show  that  we  were  true  to  Italy. 

"  The  Grand  Canal  was  deserted  and  quiet  as  the  grave, 
except  when  a  steamer  passed  loaded  with  passengers. 
There  were  no  gondolas  at  the  ferries ;  and  when  the  Syn- 
dic had  done  his  best,  there  was  but  one  boat  to  each  one 
of  them.  Crowds  of  women  waited  angrily  to  go  to  mar- 
ket, and  all  who  wished  to  pass  for  any  reason  were  scold- 
ing and  cursing  the  vaporetti  on  every  side. 

"  The  gondoliers  were  walking  about  in  slouched  hats, 
and  gathering  in  knots  on  the  bridges  and  at  the  street- 
corners.  The  wine-shops  were  full,  for  the  air  was  keen, 
and  a  warm  corner  was  needed  when  one  had  no  exercise 
to  stir  the  blood.  But  there  were  no  riots." 

'*  But  the  gondolas,  Giacomo,  where  were  they  ?" 

"  In  the  little  canals,  madama,  and  so  closely  packed 
that  one  could  walk  a  long  way  on  them  in  some  places 


A  SUMMER  DAY.  21 

and  never  see  the  water.  It  was  a  sad,  sad  sight,  —  so 
many  good  Venetian  boats  idle,  and  those  foreign  '  puffers ' 
full  of  people  !  And  so  Tuesday  passed ;  and  that  evening 
no  songs  were  heard,  no  stories  told,  and  every  gondolier 
in  Venice  was  as  sad  as  if  his  mother  lay  dead." 

"  Were  there  no  quarrels,  Giaconao  ?  Did  not  the  women 
tell  the  gondoliers  that  they  were  wrong  ?  " 

"  The  women,  signora,  were  firmer  than  the  men.  They 
hated  the  vaporetti  and  cursed  them.  But  on  Wednesday, 
as  had  been  thought,  the  trouble  increased.  At  every  tra- 
yhetto  the  Syndic  posted  a  mild  appeal  to  the  boatmen,  and 
bade  them  remember  what  pride  Venice  had  in  her  gon- 
doliers. It  persuaded  them  and  flattered  them  as  if  they 
were  naughty  children,  and  invited  them  to  meet  the  town 
council.  They  went ;  but  only  talk  came  of  it.  The  gondo- 
liers demanded  the  dismissal  of  the  steamers ;  the  council 
refused,  and  the  meeting  dissolved  quietly. 

*'  But  what  a  confusion  there  was !  You  know,  madarna, 
that  everybody  goes  on  All  Soul's  Day  to  San  Michele  to 
lay  a  wreath  on  the  family  graves.  Not  to  do  this  would 
make  them  unhappy  all  the  year.  And  how  to  do  it  on 
this  day  was  the  question ;  for  not  one  gondolier  in  all 
Venice  was  tempted,  not  even  by  the  offer  of  twenty  times 
his  usual  fare. 

"  Every  boat  of  every  sort  that  was  not  a  gondola  passed 
and  repassed  many  times  to  the  cemetery  and  back ;  and 
all  were  full.  No  doubt  the  boatmen  made  a  good  day's 
wage ;  but  the  gondoliers  had  never  seen,  not  even  in  the 
carnival,  anything  so  ridiculous ;  and  that  evening  when 
they  described  to  each  other  the  boats  and  the  rowers  they 
had  seen,  and  acted  out  all  these  absurdities,  you  would 
have  thought  them  the  merriest  souls  alive." 

"  But  were  they  so,  Giacomo  ?  " 

"No,  indeed,  signora:  they  were  miserable.  They  could 
not  sleep,  or  if  they  did  they  dreamed  that  they  were  row- 


±2  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

ing  over  the  lagoons,  and  only  woke  in  wretchedness  to 
find  it  was  not  true." 

"And  on  Thursday  what  happened?" 

"  The  gondoliers  then  took  an  advocate,  and  sent  him  to 
the  Syndic  to  plead  their  cause.  But  the  Syndic  would 
not  listen ;  he  would  only  deal  with  the  gondoliers  them- 
selves, and  he  began  to  be  severe  and  to  talk  of  many 
steamboats  running  everywhere ;  and  the  gondoliers  were 
told  of  '  launches '  that  could  thread  the  smallest  canals 
better  than  gondolas !  Alas !  signora,  what  could  be  done 
if  this  were  true? 

"Just  then  the  military  and  customs  officers  who  had 
loaned  their  boats  to  the  ferries  sent  word  that  they  must 
have  them  again  ;  and  an  old  gondolier  whom  all  the  others 
respected,  took  his  boat  out  and  began  to  serve  a  ferry. 
Instantly  the  strike  was  ended.  The  gondolas  were  untied, 
cleaned,  and  dressed  as  for  a  gala-day.  The  canals  and 
lagoons  were  soon  alive  with  them,  and  we  had  our  Venice 
back  again." 

It  was  the  old  story.  The  gondoliers  could  not  be  al- 
lowed to  stand  in  the  way  of  progress,  nor  could  they  lay 
down  the  law  to  Venice.  But  their  simple  way  of  going 
on  a  strike,  and  absolute  simplicity  in  ending  it,  was  al- 
most pathetic ;  such  children  did  they  seem  in  comparison 
with  strikers  and  strikes  that  we  know. 

By  this  time  midday  has  come,  and  our  very  early  break- 
fast calls  for  an  early  luncheon.  The  artist  is  so  absorbed 
in  his  work  that  it  seems  almost  a  sin  to  disturb  him ;  but 
in  his  ardor  to-day  he  has  painted  so  rapidly  as  quite  to 
satisfy  us,  and  half  to  content  himself, —  a  true  artist  rarely 
does  more  than  this. 

After  luncheon  we  try  to  read ;  but  the  many  changing 
sights  and  sounds  are  too  distracting  for  anything  that 
requires  thought,  and  when  we  read  a  story  on  the  lagoon 
we  are  never  able  to  remember  whether  the  lovers  married 


A  SUMMER  DAY.  23 

or  were  separated  by  a  cruel  fate.  A  sentence  is  well 
begun,  when  a  deeper  shadow  puts  a  new  color  on  every- 
thing, and  we  drop  our  book  to  look ;  the  same  sentence 
is  half  read  a  second  time,  when  a  fruit-boat  laden  with 
piles  of  green  and  golden  melons  and  luscious  peaches 
comes  so  near  us  that  Anita  calls  out  to  Giacomo  to  buy 
what  will  be  needed  on  the  morrow,  and  we  listen  to  the 
chattering  and  bargaining  until  that  is  over;  the  third 
time  that  particular  sentence  is  finished,  but  just  then 
drowsiness  overcomes  our  brain,  and  we  are  asleep. 

We  wake  to  find  our  rowers  in  their  places,  and  the 
day  so  far  spent  that  we  must  decide  where  we  will  dine, — 
at  home,  at  the  Lido,  or  at  our  favorite  trattoria.  To-day 
we  favor  the  Lido,  although  we  are  hungry  and  the  din- 
ner is  not  so  good  as  on  the  Zattere ;  but  the  exquisite 
outlook  at  sea  and  sky,  and  the  mystery  of  the  bit  of  dis- 
tant coast,  minister  to  that  Venetian  appetite  of  eyes  which 
is  never  satisfied,  and  the  home  coming  at  night  sends  us 
to  sleep  with  such  a  heavenly  vision  in  our  thought. 

Landing  rather  late  at  Sant'  Elisabetta,  we  have  only 
time  for  a  quick  stroll  around  our  favorite  promenade, 
while  Giacomo  orders  our  dinner.  The  fresh  sea-breeze 
is  delicious,  and  the  dim  blue  line  of  hills  above  Trieste 
seems  very  near  in  the  clear  atmosphere ;  we  gather  a 
large  bunch  of  poppies  and  a  dainty  nosegay  of  primroses, 
and  then  seek  the  little  osteria. 

When  we  turn  our  gondola  homeward,  the  afterglow  is 
fading,  and  the  gloaming  with  its  quiet  leads  the  thoughts 
far,  far  away.  The  stars  come  out,  and  the  rising  moon 
gives  just  that  light  that  changes  all  objects  into  ghostly 
apparitions.  The  schooners  are  phantom-ships ;  every- 
thing that  is  moving  is  indistinct  and  spirit-like,  seeming 
as  if  suspended  and  floating  in  mid-air,  until  we  come 
nearer  to  the  city  and  the  lights  give  a  new  aspect  to  the 
evening. 


24  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  pyramids  of  lamps  on  San  Marco  are  all  ablaze. 
Gondolas  are  hastening  to  the  Piazzetta.  The  band  is 
playing,  and  we  know  how  gay  it  all  is.  But  to-night  we 
turn  into  the  Grand  Canal,  where  we  catch  glimpses  into 
lighted  rooms  with  richly  ornamented  ceilings,  while  from 
the  overhanging  balconies  come  gay  voices  and  musical 
laughs,  sucli  as  are  in  harmony  with  the  pearly  city  the 
moon  is'  now  revealing;  and  the  artist  recites  from 
Longfellow,  — 

"  White  swan  of  cities,  slumbering  in  thy  nest 
So  wonderfully  built  among  the  reeds 
Of  the  lagoon,  that  fences  thee  and  feeds, 
As  sayest  the  old  historian  and  thy  guest ! 
White  water-lily,  cradled  and  caressed 
By  ocean  streams,  and  from  the  silt  and  weeds 
Lifting  thy  golden  pistils  with  their  seeds, 
Thy  sun-illumined  spires,  thy  crown  and  crest ! 
White  phantom  city,  whose  untrodden  streets 
Are  rivers,  and  whose  pavements  are  the  shifting 
Shadows  of  palaces  and  strips  of  sky ; 
I  wait  to  see  thee  vanish  like  the  fleets 
Seen  in  mirage,  or  towers  of  cloud  uplifting 
In  air  their  unsubstantial  masuury." 


CHAPTER    III. 
THE  DOGES:  THEIR  POWER  AND  THEIR  ACHIEVEMENTS. 

THERE  is  a  wonderful  fulness  and  magnificence  of 
sound  in  the  title  of  the  Doge  of  Venice!  It  has 
only  been  paralleled  by  that  of  the  Stadtholder  of  the 
United  Provinces,  and  excelled  by  that  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States. 

Why  is  this  ?  Partly  because  it  is  a  less  generic  title 
than  emperor,  king,  sultan,  and  so  on  ;  and  then  it  was  the 
gift  of  the  people,  not  a  mere  accident  of  birth.  A  man 
was  already  known  for  strength  of  character  or  for  great 
deeds  before  he  received  the  Beretta.  He  had  attained  an 
influence  over  other  men  in  such  a  degree  that  they  were 
willing  to  elevate  him  above  themselves. 

In  the  accounts  of  the  achievements  and  acts  of  the 
Doges,  it  would  seem  that  their  power  was  absolute ;  but 
the  truth  shows  this  appearance  to  be  most  deceitful.  For 
while  the  earliest  of  these  dukes  were  autocratic,  the  de- 
mocracy soon  feared  the  effect  of  such  rulers,  and  gradu- 
ally the  Doge  was  hedged  in  until,  in  one  way  and  another, 
he  who  appeared  to  govern  was  more  governed  himself  than 
were  many  who  surrounded  him. 

But  when,  in  697,  Luca  Anafesto  was  elected  the  first 
Doge  of  Venice,  and  in  the  church  of  his  own  parish  was 
seated  in  an  impromptu  chair  of  state,  and  invested  with 
a  crown  of  gold  and  a  sceptre  of  ivory,  he  thereby  acquired 
vast  power.  He  was  not  only  the  head  of  civil  and  mili- 
tary affairs,  but  of  the  Church  as  well,  since  the  purely 


26  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

spiritual  matters  only  were  controlled  by  the  clergy.  His 
Serenity  alone  could  convoke  the  church  assemblies ;  and 
no  deacon,  bishop,  or  patriarch  could  be  chosen  or  con- 
firmed in  office  without  his  sanction. 

In  fact,  he  was  a  Sovereign,  for  the  Tribunes  were  subor- 
dinate to  the  Doge  ;  and  for  twenty  years  Anafesto  reigned 
supreme.  But  in  that  time  the  public  vacillated  curiously 
as  to  how  they  would  be  governed.  Theoretically  they 
were  a  democracy,  and  monarchy  was  an  experiment ;  and 
for  centuries  a  semi-civil  war  existed  in  Venice,  degener- 
ating at  times  into  actual  anarchy. 

The  name  of  Doge  was  given  up,  and  that  of  Magister 
(Master)  was  adopted ;  again  Doge  was  in  favor,  and  not 
infrequently  those  who  bore  the  dignity  of  that  office  were 
blinded,  insulted,  exiled,  and  even  murdered.  To  change 
the  Doge  seemed  to  be  the  only  panacea  which  occurred 
to  the  Venetians  in  times  of  difficulty ;  and  erelong  what 
at  the  first  glance  seems  an  honor  came  to  be,  in  fact,  a 
serious  danger,  —  a  position  subject  to  suspicions,  jealousies, 
and  conspiracies. 

Like  the  stories  of  the  early  days  of  other  nations,  that 
of  Venice  is  largely  mythical,  confusing,  and  confused ;  and 
not  until  Giovanni  Sagornino  (John  of  Venice,  and  Deacon 
John,  as  he  is  called)  wrote  a  connected  and  trustworthy 
story  of  his  own  time,  can  we  clearly  trace  the  course  of 
events. 

From  976  on  through  the  dogates  of  the  Orseoli  and  the 
Michieli,  the  external  history  of  Venice  is  told  by  recount- 
ing the  fightings  with  Dalmatians  and  other  neighbors, 
and  even  with  the  Normans  at  Naples,  and  the  story  of 
the  earlier  crusades ;  while  its  internal  history  is  a  strange 
mixture  of  plots  and  counterplots  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  endeavors  of  those  who  had  learned  the  value  of  law 
and  order,  on  the  other,  to  bring  about  some  conditions  on 
which  all  could  rest  with  confidence. 


I 


Ducal  Palace. 


THE  DOGES:   THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.      27 

The  manner  of  electing  the  Doge  during  three  centuries 
was  very  curious,  but  after  all  not  unlike  the  methods  of 
politics  almost  everywhere.  There  are  always  bold,  enter- 
prising men  who  seem  born  to  be  leaders,  and  others  who, 
through  family  tradition  or  great  wealth,  appropriate  to 
themselves  prominent  positions.  These  classes  existed  in 
Venice,  and  they  held  what  we  should  call  caucuses,  and 
decided  who  suited  them  best  for  Doge.  Of  course  there 
were  compromises  to  be  made  before  these  leaders  could 
agree ;  but  at  last  a  sort  of  mass-meeting  was  called  in  San 
Marco,  and  the  people  were  advised  as  to  who  they  should 
elect.  Naturally,  he  who  was  thus  easily  exalted  could  be 
as  easily  destroyed ;  and  the  inspiriting  cries  of  Provato, 
Provato  (Approved),  which  arose  like  thunder-tones  to  an- 
nounce the  will  of  the  people,  must  have  had  an  undertone 
on  a  purely  minor  key,  in  spite  of  the  honor  and  dignity 
they  conferred. 

Vitale  Michieli  II.,  who  came  into  power  in  1117,  was 
the  last  Doge  elected  by  this  dubious  form  of  universal 
suffrage.  The  people  had  grown  in  experience  and  intel- 
ligence, and  demanded  more  real  power  for  themselves. 

A  century  had  now  passed  since  Venice  had  begun  to 
replace  the  mud  huts  and  primitive  houses  of  her  found- 
ers and  their  descendants  with  marble  palaces ;  and  the 
churches  and  monasteries  of  the  tenth  and  eleventh  cen- 
turies show  full  well  the  riches  of  the  Republic  at  that 
period,  and  foreshadow  the  abounding  magnificence  which 
followed  so  rapidly.  But  this  wealth  was  not  distributed 
among  the  people,  as  the  privileges  of  salt-gathering  and 
fishing  had  been  among  the  primeval  dwellers  on  these 
islands. 

The  fact  that  San  Marco,  the  Ducal  Palace,  and  the  first 
Public  Hospital  were  all  founded  by  one  Doge,  Orseolo  I., 
from  his  private  fortune  at  the  close  of  the  tenth  century, 
and  even  the  wills  of  the  Patriarch  Fortunato  in  825,  and 


28  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

of  other  wealthy  patricians,  prove  how  riches  were  massed 
in  certain  families ;  and  these  families  also  absorbed  the 
honors  of  the  Republic. 

The  names  of  the  Orseoli,  Michieli,  Dandolos,  Conta- 
rinis,  Morosinis,  Tiepolos,  and  others  occur  ad  tnjSn&ttm, 
alternating  in  the  story  of  the  glories  and  riches  of  Mediae- 
val Venice.  They  were  all  patricians  (Maffgiori),  and  a, 
wide  chasm  now  separated  them  from  the  lower  classes 
(Mediocri  and  Minori).  The  former  had  sufficient  means 
to  stay  at  home,  while  the  two  latter  were  forced  to  follow 
various  maritime  occupations ;  and  it  soon  came  about  that 
all  the  larger  ships  were  owned  by  Patricians,  were  fitted 
out  by  them,  and  brought  back  to  them  the  gold  which 
gave  them  their  power.  In  short,  Venice,  calling  herself 
a  Republic,  was  governed  by  an  Oligarchy,  —  by  a  few 
families  who  now  owned  almost  all  the  soil  outside  of 
that  in  possession  of  ecclesiastical  establishments. 

One  custom  which  had  greatly  furthered  the  establish- 
ment of  the  aristocracy  was  discontinued  in  1033 ;  this 
was  the  association  of  the  son  of  the  Doge  with  his  father 
in  the  power  and  responsibility  of  the  office,  which  directly 
tended  to  making  it  hereditary.  But  in  spite  of  reforms, 
only  patricians  held  the  civil,  military,  naval,  or  ecclesi- 
astical offices  ;  only  patricians  governed  the  provinces ;  the 
judicial  and  episcopal  benches  were  filled  by  the  same 
class,  and  to  them  alone  had  the  Beretta  and  the  Pallium 
been  given.  In  five  centuries,  as  frequently  as  the  Doges 
had  succeeded  each  other,  but  nineteen  families  had  been 
honored  with  this  office,  which  had  now  assumed  a  power 
as  independent  and  a  magnificence  as  imposing  as  those 
of  the  rulers  of  Germany  or  France. 

After  reading  of  the  power,  wealth,  and  influence  of 
the  Venetian  Republic  in  1172,  we  are  surprised  to  learn 
that  its  population  was  but  sixty-five  thousand ;  and  yet, 
even  with  this  small  number,  the  Arrengo  (General  Assem- 


THE   DOGES:    THEIR  POWER   AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.     29 

bly),  consisting  of  all  male  inhabitants,  had  become  a 
troublesome  body,  and  hitherto  no  measure  was  valid  that 
had  not  been  passed  by  it. 

The  Patricians  found  themselves  between  two  fires,  — 
the  Arrengo  on  the  one  hand,  where  the  poorest  and  most 
ignorant  of  the  Minor!  had  equal  rights  with  themselves, 
and  on  the  other  hand  the  Doge,  who  was  elected  for  life, 
and  whose  power  was  only  modified  by  two  Councillors, 
who  might  easily  be  entirely  in  his  control. 

The  assassination  of  Michieli  III.  in  1172  afforded  an 
opportunity  for  changes,  and  the  increasing  dissatisfaction 
of  the  aristocracy  now  culminated  in  a  reform  of  the  Con- 
stitution, which  ended  in  a  division  of  Venice  into  six 
wards,  from  each  of  which  two  deputies  appointed  forty 
members  of  a  Great  Council  (Consiglio  Grande),  which 
was  to  be  the  general  legislature,  elected  annually  on  Sep- 
tember 29.  The  Arrengo  was  not  abolished,  but  would  be 
convened  only  on  occasions  of  vast  importance,  such  as  a 
Declaration  of  War,  the  Election  of  a  Doge,  or  the  making 
of  a  Treaty  of  Peace. 

This  measure  seemed  very  harmless,  as  there  were  no 
limitations  to  the  rank  of  a  Councillor ;  but  the  Patricians 
well  knew  that  the  Deputies  would  be  of  their  order,  and 
each  of  these  could  appoint  four  members  of  his  own  fam- 
ily ;  and  as  almost  from  the  first  the  meetings  of  the 
Council  were  held  with  closed  doors,  it  soon  became  anj- 
thing  but  a  democratic  body. 

Having  thus  largely  extinguished  the  power  of  the 
people,  the  Patricians  proceeded  to  limit  that  of  the  Doge. 
The  Council  of  Two  was  replaced  by  one  with  six  mem- 
bers, who  were  to  advise  his  Serenity  on  all  matters,  and 
without  their  approval  no  act  of  his  could  be  legal.  These 
Privy  Councillors  retained  their  office  through  the  entire 
Dogate  to  which  they  were  elected.  From  the  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty  members  of  the  Grand  Council,  sixty 


30  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Senators  were  annually  elected  to  attend  to  many  matters 
which  did  not  require  to  be  brought  before  the  whole  coun- 
cil, and  to  overlook  the  machinery  of  the  government. 

All  this  being  done,  a  new  Doge  was  elected  in  an  en- 
tirely novel  manner.  Thirty-four  of  the  Grand  Council 
were  appointed  to  choose  eleven  from  their  number  as  an 
Electoral  Conclave ;  these  eleven  were  bound  by  a  solemn 
oath  to  impartiality,  and  any  candidate  who  received  nine 
of  their  votes  was  declared  to  be  the  Doge. 

On  Jan.  11,  1173,  the  eleven  met  in  San  Marco  with 
open  doors,  and  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  conclave  elected 
Orio  Malipiero,  one  of  their  own  number.  But  he  diffi- 
dently declined  the  office,  and  begged  permission  to  nomi- 
nate Sebastiano  Ziani,  as  better  qualified  for  this  exalted 
station. 

This  nomination  was  accepted,  and  from  the  high  altar 
of  San  Marco  the  Procurator  announced  to  the  people, 
using  the  new  formula,  "  This  is  your  Doge,  if  it  pleases 
you"  (Questo  e  vostro  doge,  se  vi  piacera),  and  the  people 
responded  with  shouts  and  acclamations. 

That  all  this  was  not  as  spontaneous  as  it  appeared,  was 
soon  demonstrated ;  for  when  Ziani  was  carried  around 
the  Piazza  in  a  wooden  chair  by  some  workmen  from  the 
Arsenal,  he  distributed  liberally  to  the  people  money 
stamped  with  his  own  name,  which  had  been  expressly 
prepared  for  the  purpose.  This  unusual  liberality  alarmed 
the  jealous  Patricians,  and  at  once  a  law  was  made  that 
only  a  newly  elected  doge  should  be  permitted  to  distribute 
largesse,  and  he  not  less  than  one  hundred  nor  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  ducats.  This  money  was  called 
Oselle,  and  was  specially  coined  for  the  purpose. 

Returning  to  the  cathedral,  Ziani  was  solemnly  invested 
with  the  crown  and  sceptre.  Thus  began  his  important 
reign,  which  lasted  but  five  years  and  a  quarter,  and  ended 
in  his  voluntary  abdication.  The  enormous  wealth  of 


THE  DOGES:    THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS-     31 

his  family  was  said  to  have  been  founded  by  the  good 
fortune  of  an  ancestor  who  found  in  the  ruins  of  Altino 
a  golden  cow  which  had  been  dedicated  to  the  service  of 
Juno.  However  it  may  have  been,  this  tradition  gave  rise 
to  the  saying,  "  He  has  the  cow  of  Ziani,"  when  speaking 
of  a  wealthy  man. 

By  the  advice  of  Ziani,  the  Bank  of  Yenice  was  estab- 
lished, and  was  the  first  institution  of  its  kind  in  Europe. 
During  his  reign  Venice  bore  her  part  in  the  siege  of 
Ancona,  which  so  alarmed  the  Greek  Emperor  that  he,  so 
to  speak,  bought  back  his  former  ally  by  a  treaty  which 
bound  him  to  pay  Yenice  one  thousand  and  five  hundred 
solid  pounds  of  gold;  but  his  most  important  political 
acts  were  those  already  recounted  in  the  reconciliation  of 
Alexander  III.  and  Frederick  Barbarossa. 

Ziaui  did  much  for  the  improvement  of  the  Piazza,  and 
extended  it  by  removing  buildings  which  were  falling  into 
ruin.  He  embellished  the  whole  city  by  the  construction 
of  elegant  bridges ;  but  tradition  teaches  that  his  greatest 
architectural  achievement  was  the  taking  down  of  the 
Church  of  San  Geminiano,  in  order  to  enlarge  San  Marco, 
which  he  did  at  his  own  cost. 

Before  demolishing  the  sanctuary,  Ziani  applied  to  the 
Pope  for  his  sanction  of  the  act.  The  Pope  answered  that 
he  could  not  authorize  a  sacrilege,  but  he  could  be  very 
indulgent  after  it  had  been  committed.  The  church  soon 
disappeared,  and  its  destruction  gave  rise  to  a  curious  cus- 
tom. For  many  succeeding  years,  on  an  appointed  day, 
the  Doge,  attended  by  a  brilliant  retinue,  repaired  to  the 
Piazza,  where  he  was  met  by  the  cure*  of  the  parish  with 
his  clergy.  The  cure*  asked,  "  When  will  your  Serenity 
be  pleased  to  restore  my  church  on  its  former  site  ?  " 

"  Next  year,"  the  Doge  annually  replied,  and  broke  the 
promise  as  often. 


32  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 


ENRICO   DANDOLO. 

From  the  abdication  of  Ziani  to  the  election  of  Dandolo, 
in  1193,  there  were  no  incidents  in  the  story  of  Venice 
that  do  not  fade  before  the  tremendous  achievements  of 
the  fiery  old  man,  eighty-six  years  old  when  elected,  who 
for  twelve  years  labored  to  exalt  Venice  and  humble  the 
Greeks,  and,  finally  dying  at  Constantinople,  which  he 
had  twice  conquered,  was  buried  in  St.  Sophia,  far  from 
his  beloved  San  Marco,  and  the  city  for  which  he  gave 
his  life. 

The  oath  taken  by  Dandolo  at  his  institution  in  the 
Dogate  is  the  first  promissione  which  has  been  preserved. 
By  it  he  was  bound,  by  all  possible  pledges,  faithfully  to 
execute  the  laws  of  the  Republic,  to  submit  his  private 
affairs  to  the  common  courts,  to  write  no  personal  letters 
to  the  Pope  nor  any  ruler,  and  to  maintain  at  his  own 
cost  two  ships  of  war.  To  such  lengths  had  the  jealousy 
of  the  Patricians  already  reached  that  the  Done  was  little 
more  than  the  figure-head  of  the  Republic. 

The  reign  of  Dandolo  opened  with  the  usual  conflicts 
with  the  Pisans,  Dalmatians,  and  any  other  neighbors 
who  were  troublesome  to  the  Venetians  at  that  time,  none 
being  of  unusual  importance.  But  when,  in  1195,  Inno- 
cent III.  ascended  the  papal  throne,  he  initiated  the 
preaching  of  a  Crusade  destined  to  result  in  the  glory  of 
Dandolo  and  Venice,  but  not  in  the  conquest  of  the  Sara- 
cens nor  the  possession  of  Palestine. 

Innocent,  but  thirty-six  years  old,  ambitious  and  ener- 
getic, soon  brought  to  his  allegiance  all  the  powers  of 
Europe  except  the  Republics  of  Pisa  and  Venice.  Dandolo, 
with  his  bravery  and  inflexibility  of  purpose,  was  a  formi- 
dable opponent,  and  when  at  last  his  concurrence  was 
sought,  he  was  asked  to  aid  the  Crusade  for  gain  and  not 
as  a  subject  of  the  Pope. 


THE  DOGES:    THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.     33 

In  France  the  preaching  of  Foulkes  of  Neuilly  attracted 
thousands  to  his  standard.  Hazlitt  says :  — 

"The  streets  of  Paris,  the  banks  of  the  Maine,  and  the 
plains  of  Champagne  were  deserted.  Doctors  left  their  pa- 
tients ;  lovers  forsook  their  mistresses.  The  usurer  crept 
from  his  hoard;  the  thief  emerged  from  his  hiding-place. 
All  joined  the  holy  phalanx.  The  joust  and  the  tourney,  the 
love  of  ladies,  the  guerdon  of  valor,  were  alike  forgotten  in 
the  excitement,  the  tilters  taking  the  vow  and  assuming  the 
emblem  of  sanctity ;  in  a  short  time  the  flower  of  French  chiv- 
alry, from  Boulogne  to  the  Pyrenees,  was  assembled  under 
the  banners  of  Theobald,  Count  of  Champagne,  and  his  cousin 
Louis,  Count  of  Blois  and  Chartres." 

Remembering  the  terrible  disasters  that  had  attended 
the  former  Crusades  in  reaching  the  Holy  Land,  these 
leaders  resolved  to  invite  the  Venetians  to  furnish  ship- 
ping to  transport  soldiers  and  horses  to  Palestine. 

An  embassy  of  six  French  noblemen  was  sent  to  Venice, 
which  city  they  reached  on  Feb.  15,  1201.  Among  them 
was  one  gratefully  remembered  by  us  for  his  record  of 
events  which  tells  us  much  that  the  Venetian  writers 
quite  ignored ;  in  fact,  some  of  them  make  no  pretence  of 
regarding  the  whole  affair  as  anything  but  an  opportunity 
to  increase  the  glory  of  the  Venetians. 

The  French  ambassadors  did  not  attempt  to  ignore  the 
vast  power  of  the  Venetians  to  aid  or  hinder  them  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  Crusade.  Men  and  money  they  had  in 
plenty,  but  with  prayers  and  tears  they  entreated  Venice 
to  furnish  them  with  ships.  Indeed,  according  to  Ville- 
hardouin,  the  Crusaders  were  accomplished  in  weeping, 
and  shed  tears  copiously  on  all  occasions  of  joy,  sorrow, 
or  devotion. 

There  were  repeated  assemblies  of  the  various  councils, 
and  after  each  of  these  Dandolo  required  some  days  for 

3 


34  THE  QUEEN  OF  TllE  ADRIATIC. 

reflection;  but  at  length  it  was  agreed  that  the  Crusaders 
should  assemble  at  Venice  on  the  22d  of  June  in  the 
following  year,  when  they  should  be  provided  with  trans- 
ports for  thirty-five  thousand  men  and  forty-five  hundred 
horses ;  it  was  also  promised  thas  these  men  and  horses 
should  be  supplied  with  provisions  for  a  year,  and  be  taken 
wheresoever  the  service  of  God  required.  Then,  with 
true  Venetian  magnificence,  the  armament  was  to  be  in- 
creased by  fifty  galleys  at  the  expense  of  the  Republic. 
For  all  this  the  French  promised  to  pay  eighty-five  thou- 
sand marks  (£170,000)  in  four  instalments. 

These  conditions  being  settled,  a  grand  convocation 
was  called  in  San  Marco,  where  ten  thousand  of  the  peo- 
ple, after  the  Mass,  were  humbly  entreated  to  assent  to 
the  wishes  of  the  ambassadors,  —  a  harmless  deceit  of  these 
so-called  Republicans.  Villehardouin  made  a  moving 
appeal,  watered  with  tears,  and  declared  that  the  ambas- 
sadors would  not  rise  from  their  knees  until  they  had 
obtained  consent  to  their  wishes. 

"  With  this  the  six  ambassadors  knelt  down,  weeping.  The 
Doge  and  the  people  then  cried  out  with  one  voice,  '  We  grant 
it,  we  grant  it ! '  And  so  great  was  the  sound  that  nothing 
ever  equalled  it.  The  good  Doge  of  Venice,  who  was  most  wise 
and  brave,  then  ascended  the  pulpit  and  spoke  to  the  people. 
'  Signori,'  he  said,  'you  see  the  honor  which  God  has  done  you, 
that  the  greatest  nation  on  earth  has  left  all  other  peoples  in 
order  to  ask  your  company,  that  you  should  share  with  them 
this  great  undertaking,  which  is  the  conquest  of  Jerusalem.'  " 

Let  us  for  a  moment  picture  this  scene,  one  of  the  most 
unusual  in  history.  It  was  a  winter  afternoon,  when  the 
choir  and  altars  alone  could  have  light  enough  to  relieve 
the  gloom  of  the  cathedral,  filled  by  an  excited  crowd, 
each  man  of  which  felt  the  responsibility  (we  know  with 
how  little  reason)  of  the  "Yes "  or  "No  "  he  was  to  speak. 


THE  DOGES:  THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.   35 

There  was  no  humility  here,  such  as  the  foreign  nobles 
were  accustomed  to ;  these  sea-faring,  weather-beaten  men 
looked  on  them  as  equals. 

Before  the  high  altar,  where  the  silvery  hair  and  ducal 
robes  of  Dandolo  were  glistening  in  the  light,  knelt  these 
splendidly  attired  nobles,  weeping  and  begging  for  what 
these  poor  vassals  believed  that  they  could  grant  or  with- 
hold. We  cannot  imagine  the  varied  and  overpowering 
emotions  that  ascended  with  that  shout  of  "Concediamo," 
nor  the  echoes  of  the  great  dome  that  hung  so  gloomily 
over  all. 

The  treaty,  written  on  parchment,  and  strengthened 
with  oaths  and  seals,  was  despatched  to  Innocent  for  his 
approval,  and  all  Venice  began  to  hum  with  the  unusual 
preparations  for  the  expedition.  The  small  coins  were 
found  insufficient  to  pay  the  necessary  workmen  at  the 
arsenal ;  and  a  new  silver  coin,  stamped  with  the  effigy  of 
Dandolo,  was  issued  for  their  payment. 

Besides  the  many  ships  to  be  built,  there  was  armor  to 
be  furnished  for  a  host;  catapults  and  battering-rams 
must  be  made  ready;  the  Venetian  galleys  were  to  be 
provided  with  lofty  towers  to  be  used  in  attacking  for- 
tresses on  the  seashore;  while  an  enormous  amount  of 
grain,  food,  wine,  swords,  daggers,  and  battle-axes,  thou- 
sands of  bows  and  tens  of  thousands  of  arrows  with  metal 
tips,  as  well  as  supplies  of  cordage,  oars,  sails,  anchors, 
and  chains,  and  many  other  things,  must  be  made  ready 
to  load  one  hundred  and  ten  large  store-ships.  And  for 
all  this  but  sixteen  months  of  hand  labor ! 

The  vast  amount  of  stores  always  kept  in  Venice  were 
insufficient,  and  men  and  ships  must  be  spared  to  go  in 
search  of  materials.  The  laborers  were  divided  and  sub- 
divided, and  employed  both  day  and  night.  The  whole 
work  went  on  as  if  by  magic.  As  soon  as  a  transport  or 
galley  was  completed,  it  was  launched,  and  another  rose  in 


36  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

its  place ;  Venice  bustled  with  labor  and  bristled  with  its 
results,  and  seemed  a  vast  Babel  for  noise. 

At  San  Niccolo  and  elsewhere  on  the  Lido,  barracks  for 
troops,  stables,  and  storehouses  were  built,  provisions  were 
abundantly  supplied ;  and  the  skilful  and  generous  man- 
ner in  which  Venice  fulfilled  her  great  contract  would 
have  made  her  famous,  had  this  not  been  eclipsed  by 
greater  deeds. 

As  it  became  known  in  all  Europe  that  Venice  had 
undertaken  the  transport  of  the  Crusaders,  adventurers 
began  to  pour  into  the  city.  They  came  singly  and  in 
bands,  until  early  in  1202  fifteen  thousand  had  gathered ; 
and  this  number  was  nearly  doubled  by  June.  These 
strangers  added  greatly  to  the  gayety  of  life  in  Venice; 
for,  bent  upon  dangerous  adventures,  they  were  deter- 
mined to  amuse  themselves  while  they  could.  They 
explored  the  lagoons  in  the  fascinating  barchette  by  day, 
and  by  night  told  stories  of  love  and  war,  and  woke  the 
echoes  to  the  unusual  sound  of  the  national  airs  of  many 
nations  and  tribes,  all  more  or  less  martial  and  inspiriting 
as  heard  from  one  island  to  another. 

But  alas !  as  month  followed  month  and  the  expedition 
did  not  move,  when  it  began  to  be  whispered  that  the 
barons  could  not  fulfil  their  engagements,  these  harmless 
amusements  changed  to  drinking  and  gambling  and  such 
other  license  of  behavior  as  often  led  to  fatal  quarrels. 

The  leaders  who  had  come  at  the  appointed  time  were 
shocked  by  the  absence  of  numbers  of  those  who  should 
have  brought  their  share  of  men  and  money.  There  had 
been  great  discouragements;  young  Thibault  of  Cham- 
pagne, their  chosen  leader,  had  died;  and  in  the  long 
time  that  had  elapsed  since  the  treaty  was  made,  many 
impatient  spirits  had  embarked  from  other  ports  and 
taken  various  routes  to  Palestine. 

Boniface,  Marquis  of  Monteferrato,  was  now  the  leader 


THE  DOGES:  THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.  37 

of  the  Crusade ;  and  he  and  the  other  nobles,  after  strip- 
ping themselves  of  money,  jewels,  and  other  valuables,  were 
still  unable  to  pay  the  last  thirty-two  thousand  marks  of 
their  debt.  The  situation  was  deplorable ;  the  crowded  bar- 
racks were  full  of  disease,  and  many  were  dying  daily,  and 
no  one  could  see  any  prospect  of  relief.  Even  Dandolo  was 
touched  by  the  troubles  and  the  devotion  of  the  barons; 
and  now  came  his  temptation,  —  for  it  is  not  probable, 
as  some  authors  seem  to  believe,  that  he  could  have  seen 
the  end  from  the  beginning;  but  his  patriotism,  which 
we  must  allow  to  have  been  a  refined  sort  of  selfishness, 
suggested  to  him  a  compromise  which  was  finally  made. 

Dandolo  proposed  that  in  consideration  of  the  debt  still 
due,  the  Crusaders  should  join  with  the  Venetians  in 
subduing  Zara,  that  ever-turbulent  and  ever-rebelling 
city.  The  larger  part  of  the  Crusaders  made  no  objection 
to  this  plan ;  a  smaller  number  thought  it  wrong  for  sol- 
diers of  the  cross  to  turn  their  arms  against  Christians, 
and  feared  the  disapproval  of  the  Pope.  No  telegraphs 
nor  submarine  cables  existed;  to  consult  his  Holiness 
would  require  months,  and  meantime  the  debt  could  be 
paid  by  taking  Zara,  and  they  might  be  landed  in  Pales- 
tine. The  condition  of  the  idle  soldiers  became  more  and 
more  alarming;  and  when  the  Venetians  answered  the 
objections  of  the  Cardinal-legate,  Peter  of  Capua,  in 
abrupt  fashion,  and  he  left  the  Crusaders  to  their  fate,  the 
bargain  was  soon  closed  and  all  arrangements  completed. 

But  one  thing  remained  to  be  settled,  —  the  choice  of  a 
commander  of  the  fleet ;  and  this  was  accomplished  on  a 
Sunday,  in  San  Marco.  The  importance  of  the  occasion 
drew  all  the  inhabitants,  and  indeed,  all  strangers  who  could 
find  a  place,  to  the  Cathedral  and  the  Piazza.  Patricians, 
barons,  statesmen,  soldiers,  and  the  people,  all  were  there, 
as  well  as  ladies  in  rich  brocades,  with  necklaces  of  pearls 
and  precious  stones  and  priceless  jewels  in  their  hair. 


38  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  crimson,  scarlet,  and  purple  robes  of  the  statesmen 
with  their  diamond  or  gold  buttons,  the  full  armor  of  the 
barons  and  knights,  almost  as  brilliant  as  jewels,  the 
helmets  and  shields  held  by  the  pages,  all  served  to  render 
it  a  scene  of  dazzling  brilliancy;  while  the  splendid  hang- 
ings and  decorations  of  San  Marco,  the  costly  vessels  of 
gold  upon  its  altars,  and  the  gorgeous  vestments  of  the 
priests  served  to  impress  the  strangers  with  the  dignity 
and  wealth  of  the  Republic. 

The  silks  ceased  to  rustle,  and  the  swords  and  battle- 
axes  to  clink,  as  the  acolytes  took  their  places ;  and  the  ser- 
vice seemed  about  to  begin,  when  suddenly  the  Doge  arose 
and  majestically  ascended  the  pulpit.  He  was  ninety-five 
years  old,  and  erect  as  in  youth ;  his  ruddy  face  and  large 
blue  eyes,  which  did  not  show  their  dimness  of  sight, 
spoke  not  half  his  age ;  the  furrows  across  his  brow  alone 
indicated  the  experiences  and  the  years  that  he  had  passed 
through,  and  the  ducal  crown  was  never  worn  with  more 
majestic  dignity.  Every  sound  was  hushed,  and  in  the 
farthest  corner  of  San  Marco  could  his  words  be  heard : 

"  'Signori,  you  are  associated  with  the  greatest  nation  in  the 
world  in  the  most  important  matter  which  can  be  undertaken  by 
men.  I  am  old  and  weak,  and  need  rest,  having  many  troubles 
in  the  body  ;  but  I  perceive  that  none  can  so  well  guide  and 
govern  you  as  I  who  am  your  lord.  If  you  will  consent  that  I 
should  take  the  sign  of  the  cross  to  care  for  you  and  direct  you, 
and  that  my  son  should,  in  my  stead,  regulate  the  affairs  of  the 
city,  I  will  go  to  live  and  die  with  you  and  the  pilgrims.' 

"When  they  heard  this,  they  cried  with  one  voice,  'Yes,  we 
pray  you,  in  the  name  of  God,  take  it  and  come  with  us.' 

"Then  the  people  of  the  country  and  the  pilgrims  were  greatly 
moved  and  shed  many  tears,  because  this  heroic  man  had  so 
many  reasons  for  remaining  at  home,  being  old.  But  he  was 
strong  and  of  a  great  heart.  He  then  descended  from  the  pulpit, 
and  knelt  before  the  altar  weeping;  and  the  cross  was  sewn  upon 
the  front  of  his  great  cap,  so  that  all  might  see  it.  And  the 
Venetians  that  day  in  great  numbers  took  the  cross." 


THE  DOGES:    THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.     39 


THE   CRUSADERS   AND   DANDOLO    AT   ZARA. 

All  preliminaries  being  settled,  and  Raniero  Dandolo 
made  Vice-Doge  during  his  father's  absence,  the  embarka- 
tion of  the  army  was  begun.  This  furnished  one  of  those 
spectacles  so  frequent  in  mediaeval  Venice,  and  was 
watched  for  days  by  all  the  city. 

As  yet  no  restraint  had  been  put  upon  the  luxury  of 
dress  and  display  of  wealth  which  the  Venetians  loved ; 
and  the  guilds  of  the  city,  each  in  its  appropriate  costume, 
presented  a  brilliant  and  picturesque  assembly  whenever 
the  pageants  of  which  they  were  so  fond  brought  them 
together  in  large  numbers.  And  where  do  the  conditions 
afford  so  beautiful  a  setting  to  artistic  display  as  in  this 
wonderful  city  of  the  sea  ?  Where  else  would  silks  and 
velvets,  precious  stones,  and  gold  and  silver  work  seem 
so  suitable  as  in  this  "Queen  of  the  Adriatic,"  rising  from 
its  many-tinted  waters  sparkling  beneath  a  southern  sun? 

The  noble  war-horses  of  the  Frenchmen,  led  unwillingly 
upon  the  vessels,  were  an  astonishing  spectacle  to  the 
Venetians,  and  would  be  so  still,  since  recently  a  single 
horse  at  San  Lazaro  was  mentioned  as  one  of  the  sights 
of  Venice  by  our  landlord! 

To  the  French,  German,  and  Flemish  Crusaders  the 
Venetian  war-ships,  huge  in  size,  with  deck  upon  deck 
and  above  all  great  towers,  were  equally  marvellous.  So 
heavy  were  they  that  in  addition  to  sails  each  one  required 
fifty  oars  with  four  men  to  each  oar.  The  finest  of  these, 
called  "  The  World, "  was  venerated  by  the  Venetians ;  for 
not  only  was  it  the  largest  ship  afloat,  but  it  had  proved 
invincible  in  former  battles. 

As  the  four  hundred  and  eighty  vessels  were  filled,  one 
by  one  they  proceeded  down  the  Grand  Canal  and  anchored 
off  the  Castle,  until  the  galleys,  transports,  and  long  boats 
extended  for  miles  on  the  Venetian  waters.  The  excite- 


40  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

ment  can  scarcely  be  described.  "  Bound  for  Palestine ! 
To  deliver  Jerusalem!  To  exterminate  the  Infidels!" 
These  cries  aroused  the  people  to  the  greatest  enthusiasm, 
and  helped  the  Venetian  women,  though  not  without  tears 
and  anguish,  to  bid  God-speed  to  those  they  held  most 
dear. 

A  part  of  the  vessels  were  sent  off  in  advance ;  and  a 
week  later,  on  a  brilliant  October  day,  the  remaining 
fleet  departed.  From  the  masts  fluttered  the  standards  of 
Venice  and  of  all  the  chief  countries  of  Europe,  as  well 
as  the  rich  gonfalons  and  banners  of  the  nobles;  while 
above  every  mast  arose  the  sacred  cross.  The  ships  were 
filled  to  their  summits  with  soldiers,  their  armor  glisten- 
ing in  the  sun;  while  the  sides  of  the  principal  vessels 
were  hung  with  the  emblazoned  shields  of  the  nobles  they 
carried. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  Doge  and  the  barons  heard 
Mass  in  San  Marco,  and  from  there,  in  grand  procession, 
marched  to  the  quay  to  the  music  of  silver  trumpets  and 
cymbals.  Barges  were  waiting  to  convey  them  to  the  ships ; 
and  as  they  embarked,  hundreds  of  barchette  and  other 
small  boats  filled  with  ladies  and  children  surrounded 
them,  and  followed  to  witness  the  departure  of  the  fleet, 
and  wave  their  final  farewells  to  husbands  and  fathers, 
sons  and  lovers. 

Each  noble  had  his  own  ship,  and  an  attendant  transport 
for  horses.  Dandolo's  galley  was  vermilion-colored,  as 
if  he  were  an  imperial  potentate,  and  his  pavilion  when 
on  shore  was  of  the  same  royal  hue.  The  signal  for  sail- 
ing was  given  by  a  hundred  trumpets,  and  in  the  castles  at 
the  crosstrees  of  the  ships  the  priests  and  monks  chanted 
the  "Veni  Creator  Spiritus. " 

As  ship  after  ship  left  its  moorings,  as  sail  after  sail 
swelled  before  the  wind,  and  the  rowers  bent  to  their  oars, 
it  seemed  as  if  the  whole  sea  were  covered ;  and  the  hearts 


THE  DOGES:  THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.  41 

of  those  who  were  left  behind  were  comforted  by  the  feel- 
ing that  no  power  could  withstand  so  goodly  and  brave  a 
host.  The  fleet  was  watched  with  straining  eyes  until 
but  a  few  white  specks  could  be  discerned  in  the  dim  dis- 
tance, and  the  people  returned  to  their  beloved  Venezia, 
seeming  now  like  a  vast  house  of  mourning  upon  which  the 
silence  of  the  tomb  had  fallen. 

In  the  Ducal  Palace  the  Marquis  of  Monteferrato,  the 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  lay  ill,  or  made  a  pre- 
tence of  being  so.  He  was  attended  by  the  Baron  de 
Montmorency  and  other  nobles,  all  strict  churchmen,  of 
whom  it  was  more  than  suspected  that  their  delay  was 
caused  by  fear  of  the  disapproval  of  the  Pope.  Two 
months  passed  before  they  joined  the  Crusade ;  and  as  they 
moved  about  the  city  and  sailed  on  the  lagoons,  they 
seemed  like  the  last  link  between  Venice  and  all  that  had 
gone  from  her. 

The  lovely  weather  which  attended  the  fleet  brought  it, 
in  spite  of  some  delays,  before  the  fortress  of  Zara  on  Saint 
Martin's  eve  (November  10).  No  stronghold  in  the  domin- 
ions of  Venice  could  compare  with  this  for  strength,  and 
a  girdle  of  lofty  watch-towers  secured  it  against  surprise. 
It  was  garrisoned  by  Hungarian  soldiers  under  fine  disci- 
pline, and  the  Zaratines  were  a  brave  people.  Seventeen 
years  had  elapsed  since  they  had  expelled  the  last  Vene- 
tian Podesta  from  their  territory,  and  they  had  full  faith 
in  their  ability  to  repulse  an  enemy. 

But  the  Zaratines  had  not  counted  on  such  a  force  as 
now  besieged  them,  and  on  the  second  day  offers  of  sur- 
render were  made  to  Dandolo,  on  condition  that  the  lives 
of  the  people  were  spared.  The  Doge  left  the  emissaries 
in  order  to  consult  with  the  barons,  and  returning  to  his 
pavilion  found  the  Zaratines  gone,  and  in  their  stead  the 
Pope's  envoy,  Abbot  Guy  of  Vaux-Cernay,  who  advanced 
with  an  open  letter  in  his  hand,  exclaiming,  "Sir,  I  pro- 


42  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

hibit  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Apostle,  from  attacking  this 
city ;  for  it  belongs  to  Christians,  and  you  are  a  pilgrim ! " 

Dandolo  was  furious,  and  none  the  less  so  when  he 
learned  that  Abbot  Guy  had  persuaded  the  Zaratines  not 
to  surrender  to  the  Venetians.  But  a  council  was  called, 
and  the  barons  agreed  with  the  Doge  to  resume  the  siege 
at  once.  The  abbot  had  led  the  Zaratines  to  believe  that 
under  no  circumstances  would  their  lives  be  spared,  and 
the  second  siege  was  fiercely  contested.  On  the  sixth  day 
the  city  fell,  and  was  given  up  to  pillage.  Fierce  quarrels 
ensued  between  the  French  and  the  Venetians  over  the 
division  of  the  spoil ;  and  this  uproar  was  scarcely  calmed 
before  an  emissary  from  his  Holiness  arrived,  calling  the 
Crusaders  to  account  for  their  present  occupation  and 
commanding  them  to  retain  no  booty. 

The  French  nobles  were  greatly  disturbed,  while  the  old 
Doge  and  his  councillors  were  indifferent  to  the  curses  or 
blessings  of  the  Pontiff,  who  had  directed  the  barons  to 
hold  no  intercourse  with  the  Venetians,  "  except  by  neces- 
sity, and  then  with  bitterness  of  heart. "  Innocent  expected 
the  Crusaders  to  proceed  at  once  to  Constantinople,  and 
suggested  that  if  the  Emperor,  to  whom  he  had  already  writ- 
ten, did  not  supply  them  generously  with  provisions,  they 
might,  "in  the  name  and  for  the  sake  of  the  Redeemer," 
seize  such  things  as  they  needed,  wherever  they  could  be 
had.  He  concluded  by  commanding  them  to  proceed  at 
once  to  Palestine,  "turning  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the 
left."  This  in  no  wise  affected  the  Venetians.  They 
were  excommunicated ;  but  what  of  that  ?  They  had 
demanded  their  pound  of  flesh  from  the  Crusaders,  which 
was  the  taking  of  Zara,  to  which  the  barons  had  agreed ; 
and  Dandolo,  by  his  addition  to  the  fleet  and  the  army,  at 
his  own  cost  or  that  of  Venice,  had  left  them  little  cause 
of  complaint  of  their  bargain,  since  without  him  they 
could  not  even  start  for  Palestine.  Whatever  future 


THE   DOGES:    THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.     43 

causes  of  dissatisfaction  might  arise  against  him,  thus  far 
it  had  been  purely  a  business  transaction  between  the 
Doge  and  the  barons.  Of  the  present  condition  Gibbon 
says : — 

"The  conquest  of  Zara  had  scattered  the  seeds  of  discord  and 
scandal  ;  the  arms  of  the  allies  had  been  stained  in  their  outset 
with  the  blood,  not  of  infidels,  but  of  Christians  ;  the  King  of 
Hungary  and  his  new  subjects  were  themselves  enlisted  under 
the  banner  of  the  cross  ;  and  the  scruples  of  the  devout  were 
magnified  by  the  fear  or  lassitude  of  the  reluctant  pilgrims.  The 
Pope  had  excommunicated  the  false  Crusaders  who  had  pillaged 
and  massacred  their  brethren,  and  only  the  Marquis  Boniface 
and  Simon  of  Montfort  escaped  these  spiritual  thunders,  —  the 
one  by  his  absence  from  the  siege,  the  other  by  his  final  depart- 
ure from  the  camp." 

The  soldiers  became  so  turbulent  as  to  give  constant 
anxiety  to  the  barons ;  and  the  Zaratines  were  happy  at 
the  enmities  among  the  invaders,  and  encouraged  by  the 
Pope's  care  for  their  interests. 

The  Crusaders  sent  humble  apologies  to  the  Pontiff,  so 
depicting  to  him  the  uncontrollable  circumstances  which 
had  surrounded  them,  as  in  a  net,  that  the  heart  of  Inno- 
cent was  touched,  and  he  sent  to  Monteferrato  his  blessing 
and  pardon  for  himself  and  the  Crusaders. 

But  Dandolo  told  the  Nuncio  that  in  the  affairs  of 
Venice  the  Pope  could  scarcely  be  interested,  since  his 
Holiness  had  no  concern  in  them,  and  he  neither  asked 
nor  desired  any  communication  with  the  Holy  See. 

Dandolo  now  displayed  his  remarkable  power  as  a 
leader.  He  proposed  to  the  Crusaders  that  with  the 
Venetians  they  should  winter  at  Zara.  But  they,  just 
when  they  hoped  at  once  to  proceed  to  Palestine,  would 
hear  nothing  of  such  a  plan,  and  insisted  on  their  duty 
to  obey  literally  the  commands  of  the  Pope. 

But  Dandolo  reminded  them  that  in   Zara  they  had 


44  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

spacious  barracks  and  stables ;  that  they  were  going  to  a 
hostile  land  where  no  provision  had  been  made  for  them ; 
that  the  winter  voyage  was  dangerous,  and,  in  a  word, 
that  it  would  be  madness  to  leave  Zara  before  the  spring. 
There  was  much  angry  altercation,  but  the  calm  determi- 
nation of  the  Doge  prevailed.  Indeed,  without  his  consent, 
how  could  they  go  ?  and  the  army  was  ordered  into  winter 
quarters.  Dandolo,  Monteferrato,  and  the  barons  were  all 
sumptuously  lodged ;  and  the  Doge  set  about  measures  to 
insure  the  permanency  of  his  conquest  of  Zara. 

The  barons  were  dreading  the  tedium  of  an  inactive 
winter,  when  a  new  excitement  was  afforded  by  the  appear- 
ance at  Zara  of  ambassadors  from  Philip,  Emperor  of 
Suabia.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  Dandolo  and  the 
Marquis  Boniface  (of  Monteferrato)  had  already  agreed 
with  Philip  that  these  ambassadors  should  be  sent,  and 
that  all  which  follows  and  depends  upon  the  proposals  of 
the  Emperor  had  been  arranged  to  gratify  the  selfish  ends 
of  the  Emperor,  the  Marquis,  and  the  Doge  before  they 
left  Venice  at  all ;  and  was  to  be  done  at  the  expense  of 
the  Crusaders,  and  in  direct  opposition  to  the  desire  of 
Innocent  and  to  the  interests  of  the  Church. 

But  since  the  wisest  and  most  erudite  of  the  historians 
have  not  discovered  the  whole  truth  about  this  and  various 
other  matters  of  this  great  crusade,  —  which  certainly 
might  with  great  aptness  be  called  a  war  of  the  Venetians 
against  their  enemies  and  for  their  own  aggrandizement,  — 
we  cannot  be  expected  to  do  it. 

The  ambassadors  brought  letters  setting  forth  the  mis- 
fortunes of  the  young  Alexius,  brother-in-law  of  Philip, 
and  legitimate  heir  to  the  Greek  Empire.  His  father, 
Isaac,  had  been  blinded  and  thrown  into  prison  by  his 
own  brother,  who  now  usurped  the  throne.  The  young 
prince  had  wandered  over  Europe,  seeking  aid ;  and  hear- 
ing of  the  great  number  of  Crusaders  who  had  congregated 


THE  DOGES:    THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.     45 

at  Venice,  he  had  come  to  entreat  them  for  the  restoration 
of  his  father.  Alexius  hastily  followed  the  ambassadors; 
and  Monteferrato,  who  was  his  near  kinsman,  proposed  to 
receive  him  in  accordance  with  his  rank.  The  troops 
turned  out,  the  silver  trumpets  of  the  Doge  sounded  a 
welcome;  and  leaders,  monks,  and  soldiers  alike  waited 
to  hear  Alexius  plead  his  own  cause. 

He  had  much  to  tell  of  his  griefs  and  sufferings,  and 
after  rehearsing  these  he  made  such  royal  promises  con- 
cerning the  return  he  would  make  for  their  aid  as  appealed 
to  the  Venetians,  the  barons,  the  priests,  and  to  the 
soldiers  and  sailors  as  well.  He  would  pay  the  four  hun- 
dred thousand  pounds  which  the  Greeks  had  long  owed 
the  Republic ;  he  would  go  himself,  or  send  ten  thousand 
men  to  join  the  Crusade  for  one  year,  and  during  his  life 
maintain  five  hundred  knights  for  the  defence  of  Jerusa- 
lem ;  he  would  pay  large  bounties  to  the  rank  and  file  of 
the  expedition ;  and  finally,  he  would  renounce  the  Greek 
heresy  and  secure  the  submission  of  the  Eastern  Church 
to  the  authority  of  Rome.  This  last  eased  the  consciences 
of  those  who  heard  him,  and  even  seemed  sufficient  to 
satisfy  the  demands  of  Innocent  III. 

Philip  had  sent  to  the  Crusaders  his  own  stipulations, 
which  accorded  with  the  offers  of  Alexius,  and  it  remained 
for  the  assembled  forces  to  decide  for  their  acceptance  or 
rejection.  The  barons  felt  that  the  conquest  of  Constan- 
tinople was  a  legitimate  object  for  the  Crusaders,  as  she 
had  been  an  insurmountable  hindrance  to  the  subjection 
of  Palestine.  Dandolo  straightway  perceived  the  enormous 
advantages  that  would  accrue  to  Venice  if  her  chief  market- 
place and  source  of  wealth  could  be  ruled  by  a  "Western 
power,  and  we  must  believe  that  the  pleas  for  humanity 
and  justice  found  an  echo  in  all  hearts. 

We  cannot  exaggerate  the  pitch  of  excitement  to  which 
the  debates  were  now  carried.  The  opposers  were  those 


46  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

who  feared  the  Pope,  and  were  comparatively  few.  Weary 
of  all  these  long  delays,  they  wished  only  to  stand  at  once 
on  the  holy  soil  they  sought  to  conquer  in  the  name  of 
God  and  of  "his  Son.  Most  of  these  withdrew  from  the 
camp,  which  was  far  less  harmful  to  the  expedition  than 
to  have  discontents  in  their  midst. 

At  length  the  Republic  of  Venice,  eight  barons  of 
France,  and  the  Counts  of  Flanders,  Blois,  and  St.  Pol 
confirmed  by  oaths  and  seals  a  treaty  of  alliance,  offen- 
sive and  defensive,  which  was  despatched  to  Philip  for  his 
signature.  The  advantage  to  the  Venetians  seemed  all 
the  greater  since  the  Republic  had  long  tried  in  vain  to 
induce  the  Greeks  to  pay  their  debt ;  and  it  is  more  than 
probable  that  had  not  the  Crusaders  sought  his  aid,  Dan- 
dolo  would  ha\e  endeavored  to  obtain  by  the  sword  what 
he  had  failed  to  get  by  repeated  embassies  and  urgent 
solicitations. 

The  winter  ended  at  last;  and  late  in  April,  1203,  the 
expedition  again  set  sail.  The  Zaratines  at  once  revolted 
in  celebration  of  the  event ;  but  the  younger  Dandolo  had 
little  difficulty  in  re-subjugating  them,  after  which  he 
made  such  a  treaty  as  ended  the  rebellions  of  this  turbu- 
lent people. 

The  Crusaders  made  their  first  landing  at  Corfu,  and 
awaited  the  young  Alexius,  who  had  gone  to  Durazzo  to 
receive  the  allegiance  of  the  governor.  The  people  of 
Corfu  received  him  as  their  lawful  sovereign,  while  the 
Doge  and  Boniface  treated  him  with  the  consideration  due 
an  emperor.  Serious  difficulties  now  arose  among  the 
allies.  Those  who  disapproved  of  going  to  Constanti- 
nople organized  a  parliament  by  themselves.  Twelve 
powerful  chiefs  were  openly  of  this  party,  and  others  had 
promised  to  join  them;  they  were  likely  to  control  more 
than  half  of  the  army.  The  Doge  and  Boniface,  as  well 
as  their  adherents,  were  greatly  alarmed  by  this  sedition ; 


THE   DOGES:    THEIR  POWER  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS.     47 

and  they,  with  all  the  leaders  who  adhered  to  the  Vene- 
tians, proceeded  to  the  parliament,  taking  the  young 
Alexius  with  them. 

According  to  Villehardouin,  the  opposition  leaders  were 
on  horseback  when  the  Doge  and  his  friends  arrived. 
They  dismounted  and  went  to  meet  their  visitors.  The 
Barons  then  fell  at  their  feet,  weeping  copiously,  and 
declared  that  they  would  not  rise  from  their  knees  until 
the  others  had  promised  not  to  leave  the  army.  Dandolo, 
Boniface,  and  all  of  them  wept ;  never  was  there  a  greater 
flood  of  tears,  and  in  the  end  the  malcontents  agreed  to 
remain  with  the  army  until  Michaelmas  Day,  the  leaders 
of  the  other  party  swearing  on  relics,  that  after  that  day, 
at  a  fortnight's  notice,  they  would  provide  a  fleet  for  all 
who  wished  to  go  to  Syria. 

All  Europe  was  watching  the  expedition  with  breathless 
interest;  and  as  we  trace  its  history,  after  nearly  seven 
centuries  have  rolled  beyond  it,  it  is  full  of  romantic 
fascination.  Twice  have  I  followed  its  course  over  the 
same  waters  at  the  same  exquisite  season,  and  no  words 
can  exaggerate  the  loveliness  of  those  summer  seas.  How 
much  more  impressive  must  it  have  been  when  bearing  an 
army  with  banners,  who  in  their  delight  sang  songs  of  joy 
and  made  the  air  resound  with  trumpet  tones ! 

"The  lovely  islands,  the  tranquil  waters,  the  golden 
shores,  filled  those  Northmen  with  enthusiasm,  — nothing 
so  beautiful,  so  luxuriant,  so  wealthy  and  fair  had  ever 
been  seen.  Where  was  the  coward  who  would  not  dare  to 
strike  a  blow  for  such  a  land?  "  It  was  a  sort  of  trium- 
phant procession  in  advance,  for  all  the  islands  received 
Alexius  as  Corfu  had  done.  At  Abydos  the  harvest  was 
ripe,  and  the  soldiers  gladly  laid  aside  their  arms  to  wield 
the  scythe  and  sickle,  replenishing  their  ships  with  the 
new  grain.  After  eight  days  they  were  again  under  way ; 
and  when,  on  June  24,  the  fleet  passed  close  to  Constan- 
tinople, all  hearts  were  brave  and  confident  of  victory. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

NINE  months  had  elapsed  since  the  Crusaders  left 
Venice,  and  no  disaster  had  befallen  them.  The 
Adriatic  and  Ionian  Seas  were  safely  passed;  threading 
the  Islands  of  the  Archipelago,  crossing  the  ^Egean,  and 
through  the  Straits  of  the  Dardanelles  into  the  Sea  of 
Marmora,  even  to  the  quays  of  the  Byzantine  capital,  had 
they  come,  and  no  voice  or  hand  had  been  raised  to  stay 
them. 

When  a  nearer  approach  revealed  to  them  the  beauty, 
the  strength,  and  the  magnitude  of  the  city  they  hoped  to 
conquer,  we  may  well  believe,  as  Gibbon  has  said,  "  that 
each  heart  was  chilled  by  the  reflection  that,  since  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  such  an  enterprise  had  never  been 
undertaken  by  such  a  handful  of  warriors. "  Rising  from 
seven  hills,  the  city  towered  above  two  continents ;  five 
hundred  palaces  and  splendidly  domed  churches  bristling 
with  spires,  were  doubled  by  reflection  in  the  waters,  while 
the  ramparts  were  crowded  with  warriors  and  citizens. 

The  Emperor,  Alexius  the  Elder,  had  known  all  their 
movements ;  but  until  the  fleet  was  almost  at  the  border  of 
his  garden  on  the  Golden  Horn,  he  would  not  allow  tli.it 
the  Crusaders  could  come  as  his  enemies.  When,  after 
some  delay,  the  fleet  was  anchored  off  Scutari,  and  the 
army  encamped  within  full  view  of  Constantinople,  across 
the  Bosphorus,  Alexius  was  filled  with  alarm,  and  sent  a 
messenger  to  the  leaders  to  demand  why  they  had  come 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.       49 

into  his  territory,  to  assure  them  of  his  readiness  to  sup- 
ply all  their  wants,  and  of  his  unwillingness  to  injure 
them,  at  the  same  time  declaring  his  power  to  do  so. 

The  astonished  Crusaders  returned  a  sufficiently  clear 
answer.  They  declared  the  Emperor  to  be  a  usurper; 
that  the  rightful  ruler,  the  son  of  Isaac,  was  with  them, 
and  if  the  crown  and  empire  were  at  once  surrendered  to 
him,  the  Crusaders  would  ask  the  young  Emperor  to  par- 
don his  uncle  and  give  him  enough  to  live  upon  in  luxury. 
They  then  assured  the  messenger  that  unless  he  returned 
with  an  answer  assenting  to  these  proposals,  he  had  better 
not  dare  to  come  at  all. 

The  leaders  believed  that  a  large  party  existed  in  Con- 
stantinople who  would  favor  the  young  Alexius,  and 
deemed  it  expedient  to  give  this  party  an  opportunity  to 
declare  themselves.  They  manned  and  armed  the  galleys ; 
Dandolo,  Boniface,  and  Alexius  were  on  one,  and  an  army 
of  knights  and  barons  on  the  others.  The  walls  of  the 
city  came  to  the  water's  edge  for  a  long  distance,  and  the 
deep  water  permitted  the  ships  to  approach  very  near 
them;  the  ramparts  were  filled  with  spectators,  as  the 
grand  procession  crossed  the  Bosphorus  and  halted  under 
their  very  eyes.  Some  one  near  to  Alexius  proclaimed : 
"  Here  is  your  rightful  lord.  We  come  not  to  harm  you, 
but  to  protect  you  if  you  do  right.  He  whom  you  now 
obey  rules  you  wrongfully,  against  the  law  of  God  and 
man.  Here  is  the  real  heir.  If  you  do  not  acknowledge 
him,  we  will  do  our  worst  against  you.  V  This  proclama- 
tion was  received  with  derision,  and  the  people  answered : 
"We  know  nothing  of  him.  Who  is  he?" 

The  Crusaders  returned  to  Scutari,  and  made  their  plans 
for  attacking  the  city.  So  serious  a  matter  as  was  now 
in  hand  overcame  all  disaffections ;  their  task  seemed 
hopeless,  and  every  man  realized  that  he  must  fight  for  the 
cause  and  not  for  himself.  The  priests  urged  the  confes- 

4 


50  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

sion  on  all,  advised  the  making  of  wills,  and  held  solemn 
services,  praying  to  all  the  saints  for  protection,  and 
promising  generous  returns  for  such  assistance. 

When  all  was  ready  for  action,  the  French  undertook  an 
assault  by  land.  The  knights  with  their  horses  embarked 
on  the  transports,  which  could  be  opened  in  such  a  way  as 
to  permit  the  mounted  men  to  ride  across  the  gangways. 
The  foot-soldiers  followed  on  the  larger  ships.  Alexius 
went  with  the  barons,  attended  with  all  the  state  possi- 
ble. The  crossbowmen  and  archers  were  so  placed  as  to 
clear  a  landing;  the  impatient  knights  leaped  into  the 
water  while  it  was  still  up  to  the  waist,  and,  lance  in  hand, 
reached  the  shore.  The  landing  was  made  without  oppo- 
sition, and  the  army  encamped  in  the  Jewish  quarter. 

The  Tower  or  Castle  of  Galata  was  taken  next  morning 
with  little  opposition ;  by  this  means  the  immense  chain 
which  closed  the  harbor,  or  the  entrance  to  the  Golden 
Horn,  was  loosened  and  the  Venetians  were  able  to  enter 
with  their  ships.  They  surprised  the  Greek  galleys,  cap- 
tured a  part  of  them,  and  sunk  others.  Four  days  were 
now  spent  in  preparations  for  the  grand  attack  by  sea  anti 
land ;  and  on  the  fifth  day,  which  was  the  17th  of  July, 
the  terrible  struggle  was  begun. 

The  French  conducted  the  land  attack  with  vigor,  and 
had  the  Greeks  been  their  only  opponents  they  would  have 
been  easily  overcome.  But  the  brave  English  and  Danes, 
—  the  Varangians,  as  they  were  called,  —  although  the 
hired  soldiers  of  the  Emperor,  drove  back  the  invaders, 
and  bravely  defeated  the  attack. 

Meantime  the  Doge  placed  a  fleet  in  the  Golden  Horn, 
in  line  along  the  eastern  wall  of  the  city,  and  began  his 
attack  in  earnest.  Wherever  the  danger  was  greatest 
there  was  the  Doge;  and  his  achievements  are  almost 
beyond  belief,  when  his  great  age  and  weak  sight  are 
remembered.  Gibbon  was  not  over-fond  of  the  Venetians ; 
let  us  quote  his  tribute  to  them  on  this  proud  day :  — 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.       51 

"On  the  side  of  the  harbor  the  attack  was  more  successfully 
conducted  by  the  Venetians  ;  and  that  industrious  people  em- 
ployed every  resource  that  was  known  and  practised  before  the 
invention  of  gunpowder.  A  double  line,  three  bowshots  in  front, 
was  formed  by  the  galleys  and  ships  ;  and  the  swift  motion  of 
the  former  was  supported  by  the  weight  and  loftiness  of  the 
latter,  whose  decks  and  poops  and  turrets  were  the  platforms  of 
military  engines  that  discharged  their  shot  over  the  heads  of  the 
first  line.  The  soldiers  who  leaped  from  the  galleys  on  shore 
immediately  planted  and  ascended  their  scaling-ladders,  while 
the  large  ships,  advancing  more  slowly  into  the  intervals  and 
lowering  a  drawbridge,  opened  a  way  through  the  air  from  their 
masts  to  the  rampart. 

"In  the  midst  of  the  conflict  the  Doge's  venerable  and  con- 
spicuous form  stood  aloft  in  complete  armor  on  the  prow  of  his 
galley.  The  great  standard  of  St.  Mark  was  displayed  before 
him  ;  his  threats,  promises,  and  exhortations  urged  the  diligence 
of  the  rowers  ;  his  vessel  was  the  first  that  struck  ;  and  Dandolo 
was  the  first  warrior  on  shore.  The  nations  admired  the  mag- 
nanimity of  the  blind  old  man,  without  reflecting  that  his  age 
and  infirmities  diminished  the  price  of  life  and  enhanced  the 
value  of  immortal  glory.  On  a  sudden,  by  an  invisible  hand 
(for  the  standard-bearer  was  probably  slain),  the  banner  of  the 
Republic  was  fixed  on  the  rampart,  twenty-five  towers  were  rap- 
idly occupied,  and,  by  the  cruel  expedient  of  fire,  the  Greeks 
were  driven  from  the  adjacent  quarter." 

Fearful  for  the  fate  of  the  French,  Dandolo  now  has- 
tened to  their  relief  with  his  troops.  The  Emperor 
Alexius  had  made  a  sally,  but  the  aspect  of  his  foes  terri- 
fied him  more  and  more.  At  evening  he  withdrew  his 
forces,  and  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  taking  £  10, 000 
and  many  rich  jewels  with  him,  by  the  way  of  the  Bosphorus 
he  reached  obscurity  in  Thrace.  He  deserted  his  throne 
and  his  people,  his  wife  and  his  children,  taking  with  him 
his  daughter  Irene  alone. 

The  chief  eunuch  of  the  palace,  Constantino,  prefect  of 


52  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

the  treasury,  first  discovered  this  flight,  and  sagely  warned 
the  most  noble  of  the  Greeks,  that  they  might  arrange 
for  the  safety  of  the  throne  at  once.  The  old  Isaac  was  re- 
leased from  his  dungeon,  taken  to  the  palace  of  Blachernae, 
dressed  in  royal  apparel,  and  seated  on  the  throne  of 
which  he  had  been  so  treacherously  deprived.  His  nobles 
jostled  each  other  in  their  haste  to  protest  devotion  and 
loyalty ;  and  when  day  dawned,  messengers  were  sent  to 
the  allies  announcing  his  peaceful  restoration,  his  impa- 
tience to  see  his  son,  and  his  desire  to  reward  his  "  generous 
deliverers. "  These  last  did  not  forget  their  rights  in  their 
generosity.  They  would  not  release  the  young  Alexius 
until  his  promises  had  been  made  good,  and  a  number 
of  ambassadors  were  sent  to  the  palace,  among  whom 
was  our  friend,  Villehardouin,  the  scribe. 

When  the  gates  were  opened,  the  Varangian  guards, 
bearing  their  battle-axes,  lined  the  streets ;  in  the  presence- 
chamber,  which  sparkled  with  gold  and  jewels,  the  blind 
old  Isaac  was  enthroned  with  his  wife  at  his  side,  while 
senators,  soldiers,  and  noble  matrons  filled  the  room. 
The  ambassadors,  without  hesitation,  clearly  stated  the 
recompense  promised  them  by  the  young  Alexius  on  the 
fulfilment  of  their  agreement.  Isaac  could  not  under- 
stand their  speech,  but  their  tone  impressed  him  with 
their  determination  to  have  their  dues. 

He  retired  to  an  inner  room  with  an  interpreter,  the 
Empress,  and  the  ambassadors,  and  there  was  made  to 
comprehend  that  he  was  pledged  to  submit  to  the  Church 
of  Rome,  to  aid  in  the  conquest  of  Palestine,  and  to  pay  to 
the  Venetians  the  two  hundred  thousand  marks  so  long 
overdue  them.  With  great  prudence  he  worded  his  reply : 
"These  conditions  are  weighty,  they  are  hard  to  accept 
and  difficult  to  perform;  but  no  conditions  can  exceed 
the  measure  of  your  services  and  deserts."  He  then 
affixed  the  golden  seal  of  the  Empire  to  the  treaty;  and 


THE   VENETIANS   AT   CONSTANTINOPLE.  53 

his  son,  whose  voice  he  longed  to  hear,  was  restored  to 
him." 

On  the  1st  of  August  the  father  and  the  son  were  crowned 
in  St.  Sophia  with  grand  solemnities.  The  quarter  of  Pera 
was  assigned  to  the  French  and  Venetians,  and  any  regret 
or  fear  that  existed  on  either  side  was  concealed  by  appar- 
ent content  and  enjoyment. 

But  it  was  not  possible  that  all  the  discordant  elements 
which  existed  within  Constantinople  before  the  arrival  of 
the  invaders,  and  those  which  they  added  should  live 
together  in  harmony.  It  soon  became  evident  that  Alexius 
was  most  unpopular;  his  long  residence  abroad  had 
tinged  his  manners  with  a  foreign  air,  and  the  familiarity 
in  which  he  indulged  the  Frenchmen  was  most  distasteful 
to  the  Greeks. 

Beneath  his  gay  exterior  the  mind  of  Alexius  was 
greatly  disturbed.  He  at  once  paid  the  allies  all  the 
money  that  he  could  possibly  control;  and  small  as  the 
sum  proved  to  be  it  was  obtained  by  violating  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  sequestrating  not  only  the  effects  of  the  late 
Emperor's  family,  but  also  those  of  such  individuals  as 
had  fallen  under  the  suspicion  or  dislike  of  Alexius  IV. 
The  allies,  as  well  as  Alexius,  realized  that  time  must  be 
allowed  for  future  payments,  and  that  the  submission  of 
the  Greek  to  the  Latin  Church  could  not  be  made  at  once. 

But  the  alarm  of  the  young  Emperor  was  inexpressible 
when  he  reflected  that  the  time  agreed  upon  for  the 
departure  of  the  Crusaders  was  at  hand.  The  Greeks 
more  than  suspected  the  promises  that  bound  the  Emperors 
to  the  Latins,  and  were  neither  pleased  to  support  their 
rulers  in  magnificent  luxury  nor  to  pay  foreigners  for 
invading  their  capital.  Alexius  well  knew  in  what  dan- 
ger the  departure  of  the  fleet  would  leave  him,  and  strove 
to  find  a  way  to  detain  it. 

He  entreated  the  allies  not  to  desert  him  until  he  could 


54  THE   QUEEN   OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

establish  his  power;  he  represented  that  his  father  and 
he  had  lost  the  good-will  of  the  Greeks  through  their 
friendship  for  the  Latins,  and  protested  his  belief  that 
their  departure  would  be  the  signal  for  a  revolution  which 
would  take  away  his  power  to  furnish  them  troops  or  pay 
them  money.  Again  the  sufferings  and  dangers  of  a  win- 
ter campaign  in  a  hostile  land  were  represented ;  again  he 
made  promises,  —  of  payment  of  his  whole  debt  in  the 
spring,  of  the  immediate  organization  of  ten  thousand 
soldiers  and  five  hundred  knights  for  the  service  of  God, 
and  the  supply  of  all  necessary  provisions  for  the  allies 
until  the  Passover;  while  to  the  Doge  he  promised  to  keep 
the  fleet  afloat  until  the  same  time  at  his  own  cost.  The 
Patriarch  and  clergy  meanwhile  abjured  the  Greek  heresy, 
which  mollified  the  opposition  of  the  more  devout,  and 
finally  the  time  of  their  departure  was  deferred  to  April, 
1204. 

Alexius  desired  to  visit  the  cities  on  or  near  the  Bos- 
phorus  in  order  to  establish  his  authority  and  receive  their 
submission,  and  for  sixteen  hundred  gold  crowns  a  portion 
of  the  troops  was  sent  with  him.  The  expedition  had  but 
a  questionable  success,  and  on  his  return,  early  in  Novem- 
ber, he  found  that  a  party  of  foreign  soldiers,  when  excited 
by  wine,  had  attacked  a  Jewish  quarter  and  burst  open  a 
synagogue. 

Naturally  a  fierce  fight  ensued;  and  some  Flemings,  in 
order  to  cover  their  retreat,  set  several  houses  on  fire.  A 
frightful  conflagration  resulted;  for  eight  days  the  fire 
raged,  and  when  at  last  it  was  extinguished,  a  third  of  the 
Byzantine  capital  no  longer  existed.  Several  ships  in  the 
port  had  burned  to  the  water's  edge;  the  number  of 
churches  and  palaces  as  well  as  more  humble  dwelling- 
houses,  the  amount  of  merchandise  and  other  wealth  that 
had  been  destroyed,  was  unknown  and  unknowable.  The 
district  burned  was  the  most  populous  of  the  city,  and  the 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  55 

hatred  of  the  Latins  was  so  much  increased  that  about 
fifteen  thousand  colonists,  who  had  before  lived  quietly  in 
the  midst  of  the  Greeks,  now  fled  to  Pera  to  be  under  the 
protection  of  the  allies.  The  whole  condition  of  affairs 
was  most  alarming,  both  for  the  Greeks  and  the  Latins, 
and  but  a  spark  was  needed  to  kindle  another  sort  of  fire 
that  would  destroy  thousands  of  lives  as  well  as  the  city 
and  its  wealth. 

The  conduct  of  Alexius  began  plainly  to  show  his  double 
dealing.  The  Latins  and  their  reminders  of  his  promises 
were  treated  with  such  indifference  as  excited  their  rage 
and  alarm.  At  length  they  lost  all  patience,  and  in  Janu- 
ary, 1204,  sent  an  embassy  of  three  noble  Frenchmen  and 
as  many  Venetians  to  demand  anew  from  the  two  Emperors 
the  fulfilment  of  their  contract,  and  to  add  that  the  Doge 
and  the  barons  had  resolved  to  take  by  force  what  was 
not  peacefully  given  them. 

This  was  a  dangerous  mission;  but  the  six  warriors, 
one  of  whom  was  our  scribe,  with  few  attendants  alighted 
at  the  gate  of  the  Blachernae,  and  on  foot,  passing  between 
two  lines  of  Varangians,  reached  the  palace.  The  two 
Emperors  with  their  families  were  surrounded  by  the 
court ;  a  brilliant  throng  of  ladies,  ministers,  and  nobles, 
and  an  army  of  attendants  filled  the  hall. 

Conon  de  Be*thune  delivered  the  message  from  the  allies 
in  a  commanding  voice ;  and,  their  duty  accomplished,  the 
ambassadors  retired  at  once,  and  fortunately  reached  their 
horses  in  safety. 

Their  sudden  coming  and  more  sudden  going  caused  an 
unusual  excitement  in  the  city;  and  when  the  truth  was 
known,  the  Greeks  were  in  a  frenzy  of  rage  that  such  an 
insult  had  been  offered  them  and  the  perpetrators  of  it 
allowed  to  depart  in  safety ;  with  one  accord  they  turned 
their  wrath  against  those  who  had  permitted  the  ambas- 
sadors to  escape  their  vengeance.  They  cursed  the  Angeli 


56  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

as  unfit  to  reign,  and  Alexius  for  having  sold  his  country 
to  the  Latins ;  they  swore  that  the  time  had  come  to  choose 
a  loyal  sovereign  who  would  lead  them  to  glory  and 
freedom. 

The  mob  destroyed  the  colossal  statue  of  Minerva  in  the 
Square  of  Constantine,  because  they  believed  that  her 
right  hand,  pointing  towards  the  west,  had  invited  the 
invasion  of  the  French  and  Venetians !  A  bronze  figure 
of  a  Caledonian  boar  in  the  Hippodrome  was  accredited 
with  power  to  charm  away  sedition,  and  Isaac  ordered  it 
brought  within  the  grounds  of  his  palace !  Such  were 
some  of  the  preparations  for  the  threatened  attack  of  the 
allies. 

Alexius  was  enraged,  and  the  blind  old  Isaac  was  pros- 
trated by  fear ;  the  whole  city  resounded  with  the  din  of 
confusion,  and  the  Greeks  resolved  on  a  characteristic 
revenge,  — the  destruction  of  the  fleet  by  fire.  On  a  dark 
winter  night  a  French  sentinel  was  startled  by  the  appear- 
ance of  a  broad  sheet  of  flame  approaching  the  Venetian 
fleet.  He  gave  the  alarm  instantly,  and  the  alert  sailors 
saw  and  understood  their  danger;  a  line  of  fire-ships  had 
been  lighted  and  allowed  to  drift  towards  the  fleet;  the 
sailors  hastily  rowed  towards  them,  seized  them  with 
hooks  on  long  poles,  and  towed  them  to  the  mouth  of  the 
harbor,  where  a  current  swept  them  away,  the  only  loss 
being  that  of  a  vessel  belonging  to  the  incendiaries. 

A  tiresome  succession  of  proposals,  made  only  to  be 
modified  or  withdrawn,  now  ensued ;  and  the  Latins  deter- 
mined to  be  inactive  no  longer,  but  at  once  to  attack 
Constantinople  for  the  second  time. 

At  this  juncture  a  Greek  of  a  certain  sort  of  influence 
came  to  the  front.  His  name  was  Alexius  Ducas,  but  he 
was  called  Marzoufle  on  account  of  his  shaggy  eyebrows. 
He  possessed  great  energy  and  boundless  ambition,  and 
was  utterly  void  of  moral  perception  or  principle.  As 


THE   VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  57 

grand-chamberlain  he  had  been  near  the  Emperors,  and 
gradually  had  come  to  be  their  chief  adviser.  He  flattered 
them,  and  incited  the  people  against  them;  such  faith  had 
both  father  and  son  in  Marzoufle  that  when  the  people,  by 
his  connivance,  assembled  in  St.  Sophia  to  elect  a  new 
emperor,  they  refused  to  believe  that  this  was  the  object 
of  the  gathering. 

It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  any  one  could  be  per- 
suaded to  assume  the  purple  under  the  present  conditions ; 
but  at  last,  overcome  by  intimidation,  a  young  noble  of 
high  rank  and  worthy  character,  Nicholas  Canabes, 
accepted  the  diadem.  He  had  no  fitness  for  such  respon- 
sibilities as  now  rested  on  the.  Greek  Emperor.  In  truth, 
there  was  no  savior  of  Constantinople  at  hand.  The 
strongest  man  was  Marzoufle,  and  in  reality  he  was  con- 
ducting the  affairs  of  the  Empire.  Hypocritically  he 
worked  his  way  until  he  gained  the  ear  of  the  treasurer 
and  could  tamper  with  the  Varangians,  and  then  in  a 
single  night  he  consigned  Canabes  to  a  dungeon,  and 
ordered  the  murder  of  the  young  Alexius  before  his  eyes, 
and  a  few  days  later  superintended  his  interment  with 
great  pomp.  The  old  Isaac  survived  his  son's  death  but 
a  few  days,  and  Marzoufle  seated  himself  upon  the  vacant 
throne  without  opposition. 

Immediately  after  the  murder  of  Alexius,  Marzoufle 
sent  an  invitation  to  Dandolo  and  the  barons  to  sup  with 
the  young  Emperor,  who  wished  to  consult  with  them. 
The  barons  accepted  the  invitation,  and  so  long  as  the 
messenger  remained,  Dandolo  was  silent;  but  as  soon  as 
he  had  departed,  the  old  Doge  so  forcibly  represented  the 
danger  of  such  a  step  that  the  acceptance  was  withdrawn, 
and,  on  learning  the  truth  about  Alexius,  they  felt  that 
they  owed  their  lives  to  the  prudence  and  wisdom  of 
Dandolo. 

Marzoufle  was  greatly  vexed  at  his  failure  to  entrap  the 


58  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

leaders  of  the  allies,  but  watched  carefully  for  another 
occasion,  which  soon  presented  itself.  The  Count  of 
Flanders,  with  a  thousand  men,  went  to  Phinea,  on  the 
Bosphorus,  in  search  of  provisions.  Marzoufle  followed 
with  a  large  body  of  troops,  intending  to  meet  the  French 
on  their  return  and  cut  them  off  when  they  should  be 
overweighted  with  booty  and  weary  from  their  expedition. 
But  this  second  scheme  resulted  in  favor  of  the  allies ;  the 
Greeks  were  totally  defeated,  and  Marzoufle  himself  only 
saved  from  being  made  a  prisoner  by  the  fleetness  of  his 
horse. 

Having  boldly  assumed  full  power,  his  next  move  was 
to  invite  the  Crusaders  to  a  conference  in  order  to  make 
a  plan  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  contract  made  with  Isaac 
and  Alexius  IV.  The  Crusaders  were  now  minded  to 
refuse  to  consult  with  an  assassin  and  usurper;  but  Dan- 
dolo  believed  that  no  opportunity  for  a  possible  settlement 
should  be  neglected,  and  offered  to  go  alone  to  meet 
Marzoufle.  Accordingly,  the  Doge,  in  his  galley,  met  the 
traitor  near  the  Golden  Horn.  Dandolo  stood  erect  in 
the  prow  of  his  barge,  Marzoufle  was  on  horseback,  and 
their  salutations  were  distant  and  formal.  Dandolo,  after 
expressing  his  horror  at  the  crimes  which  Marzoufle  had 
committed,  assured  him  of  the  distrust  with  which  the 
allies  viewed  him,  and  then  recounted  to  him  the  terms 
of  the  treaty  to  which  Isaac  had  set  the  seal  of  the 
Empire. 

Marzoufle  assented  to  all  the  conditions  except  that  of 
submission  to  the  Latin  Church ;  sooner  than  consent  to 
that,  he  would  bury  his  country,  and  himself  die  beneath 
its  ruins.  In  vain  he  was  reminded  that  the  Greek  clergy 
had  already  renounced  their  heresy;  he  was  immovable  in 
this  regard,  and  the  two  men  parted  with  no  result  from 
their  conference  except  that  Dandolo  could  say  that  he 
had  used  his  best  endeavors  to  bring  about  a  peace.  A 


THE   VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  59 

second  attempt  was  soon  after  made  to  fire  the  ships.  It 
proved  useless,  like  the  first;  and  then  Marzoufle  saw  that 
his  only  course  was  to  prepare  for  open  war. 

And  here  one  can  but  admire  the  ability  of  Marzoufle. 
lie  found  the  treasury  empty,  and  replenished  it  by  a 
strict  inquiry  into  the  abuses  under  the  Angeli,  and  the 
confiscation  of  the  property  of  those  who  had  amassed 
wealth  unlawfully.  The  people  were  unfriendly  to  the 
crown ;  but  by  his  address,  his  gayety,  and  tact  he  made 
himself  popular.  The  Greeks  were  indifferent  to  the  wel- 
fare of  their  city,  but  under  his  leading  they  were  aroused 
to  patriotism  and  energy.  The  walls  were  repaired,  and 
in  some  places  raised  to  a  great  height;  lofty  stone  towers 
alternating  with  those  of  wood  were  built  and  filled  with 
soldiers  well  supplied  with  the  means  of  defence ;  mango- 
nels for  throwing  stones  and  darts  were  mounted  between 
the  towers,  and  all  possible  provision  made  for  harassing 
the  invaders  and  protecting  the  Greeks.  And  Marzoufle 
was  everywhere,  with  an  iron  mace  in  his  hand,  and  the 
bearing  of  a  warrior,  ordering  the  works,  encouraging  the 
timid,  and  striking  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  discontented. 

The  Crusaders  were  equally  industrious  in  their  prepa- 
rations. The  decks  of  their  vessels  were  piled  with 
enormous  stores  of  missiles  and  the  machines  for  hurling 
them,  as  well  as  others  for  belching  forth  combustible 
matter  freighted  with  death  and  destruction.  The  9th  of 
April  had  been  fixed  for  the  beginning  of  the  assault,  and 
a  council  was  called  and  an  agreement  made  concerning 
the  manner  in  which  the  booty  should  be  divided,  a  new 
ruler  chosen,  and  other  similar  affairs  be  settled  in  case 
they  succeeded  in  taking  the  city.  An  instrument  was 
drawn  up,  signed,  and  sealed  by  Dandolo  and  the  barons 
at  the  camp  of  Galata,  and  little  else  remained  to  be  done 
before  the  attack  should  begin.  As  we  regard  the  posi- 
tion of  the  allies,  it  would  seem  that  madness  alone  could 


60  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

lead  them  to  this  assault.  Their  temerity  is  appalling. 
Before  them  was  an  apparently  impregnable  fortress,  and 
four  hundred  thousand  men,  who  now  had  a  bold  leader 
and  were  themselves  filled  with  hatred  of  their  foes.  The 
allies  numbered  less  than  twenty  thousand,  and  could 
neither  hope  for  assistance  from  friends  without,  nor  from 
treachery  within  the  walls.  They  could  only  rely  on  their 
bravery  and  their  good  fortune.  The  Greeks  depended  on 
their  position  and  their  overwhelming  numbers.  All  alike 
believed  that  Heaven  would  favor  them,  and  thus  sustained 
their  courage.  Gibbon  thus  graphically  describes  the 
siege :  — 

"A  fearless  spectator,  whose  mind  could  entertain  the  ideas 
of  pomp  and  pleasure,  might  have  admired  the  long  array  of  two 
embattled  armies,  which  extended  above  half  a  league,  —  the  one 
on  the  ships  and  galleys,  the  other  on  the  walls  and  towers  raised 
above  the  ordinary  level  by  several  stages  of  wooden  turrets. 
Their  first  fury  was  spent  in  the  discharge  of  darts,  stones,  and 
fire  from  the  engines  ;  but  the  water  was  deep,  the  French  were 
bold,  the  Venetians  were  skilful.  They  approached  the  walls  ; 
and  a  desperate  conflict  of  swords,  spears,  and  battle-axes  was 
fought  on  the  trembling  bridges  that  grappled  the  floating  to 
the  stable  batteries.  In  more  than  a  hundred  places  the  assault 
was  urged  and  the  defence  was  sustained,  till  the  superiority  of 
ground  and  numbers  finally  prevailed,  and  the  Latin  trumpets 
sounded  a  retreat. 

"  On  the  ensuing  days  the  attack  was  renewed  with  equal 
vigor  and  a  similar  event ;  and,  in  the  night,  the  Doge  and  the 
barons  held  a  council,  apprehensive  only  for  the  public  danger. 
Not  a  voice  pronounced  the  words  of  escape  or  treaty  ;  and  each 
warrior,  according  to  his  temper,  embraced  the  hope  of  victory 
or  the  assurance  of  a  glorious  death.  By  the  experience  of  the 
former  siege  the  Greeks  were  instructed,  but  the  Latins  were  ani- 
mated ;  and  the  knowledge  that  Constantinople  might  be  taken 
was  of  more  avail  than  the  local  precautions  which  that  knowl- 
edge had  inspired  for  its  defence. 


THE   VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  61 

"  In  the  third  assault  two  ships  were  linked  together  to  double 
their  strength  ;  a  strong  north  wind  drove  them  on  the  shore  ; 
the  bishops  of  Troyes  and  Soissons  led  the  van  ;  and  the  auspi- 
cious names  of  the  'Pilgrim'  and  the  'Paradise'  resounded 
along  the  line.  The  episcopal  banners  were  displayed  on  the 
walls  ;  a  hundred  marks  of  silver  had  been  promised  to  the  first 
adventurers  ;  and  if  their  reward  was  intercepted  by  death,  their 
names  have  been  immortalized  by  fame.1  Four  towers  were 
scaled ;  three  gates  were  burst  open  ;  and  the  French  knights, 
who  might  tremble  on  the  waves,  felt  themselves  invincible  on 
horseback  on  the  solid  ground. 

"  Shall  I  relate  that  the  thousands  who  guarded  the  emperor's 
person  fled  on  the  approach,  and  before  the  lance,  of  a  single 
warrior  ?  Their  ignominious  flight  is  attested  by  their  coun- 
tryman Nicetas :  an  army  of  phantoms  marched  with  the  French 
hero,  and  he  was  magnified  to  a  giant  in  the  eyes  of  the  Greeks. 
While  the  fugitives  deserted  their  posts  and  cast  away  their 
arms,  the  Latins  entered  the  city  under  the  banners  of  their 
leaders :  the  streets  and  gates  opened  for  their  passage ;  and 
either  design  or  accident  kindled  a  third  conflagration,  which 
consumed  in  a  few  hours  the  measure  of  three  of  the  largest 
cities  in  France. 

"In  the  close  of  evening  the  barons  checked  their  troops  and 
fortified  their  stations  ;  they  were  awed  by  the  extent  and  popu- 
lousness  of  the  capital,  which  might  yet  require  the  labor  of  a 
month,  if  the  churches  and  palaces  were  conscious  of  their 
internal  strength.  But  in  the  morning  a  suppliant  procession, 
with  crosses  and  images,  announced  the  submission  of  the  Greeks, 
and  deprecated  the  wrath  of  the  conquerors :  the  usurper  escaped 
through  the  golden  gate;  the  palaces  of  Blachernae  and  Boucoleon 
were  occupied  by  the  Count  of  Flanders  and  the  Marquis  of 
Montferrat ;  and  the  Empire,  which  still  bore  the  name  of  Con- 
stantine  and  the  title  of  Roman,  was  subverted  by  the  arms  of 
the  Latin  pilgrims." 

The  anxieties  and  cares  of  the  conquerors  were  by  no 
means  ended  by  victory.  They  had  overcome  the  strong- 

1  Pietro  Alberti  and  Andre  d'Urboise. 


62  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

est  fortress  in  existence,  and  were  in  possession  of  a  city 
whose  vast  size  and  inconceivable  wealth  (as  yet  but  half 
known  to  them)  impressed  them  with  their  responsibili- 
ties, and  foreshadowed  difficulties  which  must  be  met  with 
the  greatest  prudence.  The  Greeks  were  a  degenerate 
and  effeminate  people,  demoralized  by  bad  government  and 
pleasure-seeking.  In  the  language  of  an  old  historian, 
they  "  cheated  time  and  offended  Nature,  by  rearing  flowers 
in  winter,  and  culling  in  spring  the  fruits  of  autumn." 
Dandolo  and  the  barons  perceived  that  this  people  must 
be  protected;  and  how  to  do  this  before  the  whirlwind  of 
profligacy  and  avarice  which  was  sure  to  follow,  was  a 
grave  question. 

"The  Marquis  of  Monteferrato  was  the  model  of  virtue; 
the  Count  of  Flanders,  the  mirror  of  chastity ; "  and  they, 
as  well  as  Dandolo,  endeavored  to  avert  the  terrors  of 
pillage  and  rapine.  A  proclamation  was  issued  in  their 
name,  commanding  that  the  helpless  and  innocent  should 
be  spared;  and  the  Count  of  St.  Pol  hanged  one  of  his 
knights,  who  offered  abuse  to  a  woman,  with  his  shield 
and  coat-of-arms  about  his  neck,  as  a  warning  that  the 
leaders  must  be  obeyed.  But  avarice  was  not  checked. 
The  imperial  treasury  and  the  arsenal  were  guarded,  and 
the  rest  of  the  city  was  given  up  to  plunder. 

Under  the  penalties  of  perjury,  excommunication,  and 
death,  the  whole  body  of  Crusaders  and  Venetians  were 
bound  to  deposit  all  their  plunder,  of  whatever  sort,  in 
three  churches  selected  for  the  purpose.  In  spite  of  all 
these  precautions  and  the  severe  punishment  of  the  dis- 
obedient, Gibbon  says  that  the  plunder  which  was  secreted 
exceeded  in  value  that  which  was  exposed  and  divided 
according  to  the  agreement  previously  made.  This  may 
easily  have  been  true  of  the  rare  precious  gems  and  small 
articles  of  inestimable  value  which  existed  in  Constanti- 
nople, but  that  which  was  divided  far  exceeded  any 
anticipations  which  had  been  indulged  by  the  leaders. 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  63 

Sismondi  estimates  that  the  riches  of  Constantinople 
before  the  siege  reached  twenty-four  million  pounds  ster- 
ling. The  Count  of  Flanders  wrote  to  the  Pope  that  the 
wealth  of  Constantinople  exceeded  that  of  all  Europe  put 
together;  and  Villehardouin  declared  that  never  in  the 
history  of  the  world  had  so  great  riches  been  collected  in 
a  single  city.  The  property  divided  was  valued  at  one 
million  eight  hundred  thousand  pounds ;  and  if  Gibbon  is 
correct,  the  whole  booty  must  have  reached  four  million 
pounds  sterling.  In  the  division  half  was  given  to  the 
Crusaders,  and  half  to  the  Venetians;  and  the  latter 
received  fifty  thousand  silver  marks  additional,  which  was 
due  them  from  the  barons. 

The  whole  story  of  the  terrible  destruction  of  works  of 
art  —  of  bronzes  sent  to  the  melting-pot,  of  marbles  and 
other  beautiful  statues  and  ornaments  that  were  ruthlessly 
broken  —  is  heart-rending,  but  is  not  strictly  a  part  of 
the  story  of  Venice,  since  the  ignominy  and  sacrilege  of 
these  deeds  belong  to  other  nations  as  well.  Nothing  was 
sacred  to  the  plunderers.  Pears  tells  us  — 

"Every  insult  was  offered  to  the  religion  of  the  conquered 
citizens.  Churches  and  monasteries  were  the  richest  store- 
houses, and  were  therefore  the  first  buildings  to  be  rifled. 
Monks  and  priests  were  selected  for  insult.  The  priest's  robes 
were  placed  by  the  Crusaders  on  their  horses.  The  icons  were 
ruthlessly  torn  down  from  the  screens  or  were  broken.  The 
sacred  buildings  were  ransacked  for  relics  or  their  beautiful 
caskets.  The  chalices  were  stripped  of  their  precious  stones 
and  converted  into  drinking-cups.  The  sacred  plate  was  heaped 
with  ordinary  plunder.  The  altar-cloths  and  the  screens  of 
cloth-of-gold,  richly  embroidered  and  bejewelled,  were  torn 
down,  and  either  divided  among  the  troops  or  destroj^ed  for  the 
sake  of  the  gold  and  silver  which  were  woven  into  them.  The 
altars  of  Hagia  Sophia,  which  had  been  the  admiration  of  all 
men,  were  broken  for  the  sake  of  the  material  of  which  they 
were  made.  Horses  and  mules  were  taken  into  the  church  in 


64  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

order  to  carry  off  the  loads  of  sacred  vessels,  and  the  gold  and 
silver  plates  of  the  throne,  the  pulpits,  and  the  doors,  and  the 
beautiful  ornaments  of  the  church.  The  soldiers  made  the 
chief  church  of  Christendom  the  scene  of  their  profanity.  A 
prostitute  was  seated  in  the  patriarchal  chair,  who  danced,  and 
sang  a  ribald  song  for  the  amusement  of  the  soldiers.  .  .  .  The 
plunder  of  the  same  church  in  1453  by  Mahomet  the  Second 
compares  favorably  with  that  made  by  the  Crusaders  of  1204." 

Hazlitt  adds  to  his  account  of  the  pillage :  — 

"Gems  of  the  choicest  water,  vases  of  inestimable  value, 
relics  of  odorous  sanctity,  were  pilfered  from  the  altars,  the 
reliquaries,  or  from  private  dwellings,  by  rapacious  soldiers, 
who  sold  them  at  a  paltry  price;  and  although  these  matchless 
rarities  were  recovered,  partly  by  process  of  exchange  and  the 
ignorance  of  art,  no  inconsiderable  portion  was  irretrievably 
lost.  Some,  however,  found  a  worthy  destination.  The  proud 
monuments  of  human  genius,  sculptures,  paintings,  frescos, 
mosaics,  and  minerals,  which  the  industry  and  taste  of  ten 
generations  of  men  had  gradually  amassed  in  that  city  of  cities, 
were  scattered  by  this  great  revolution  among  the  palaces  and 
churches,  the  castles  and  abbeys,  of  Western  Europe.  Many  of 
the  Venetian  public  buildings  were  decorated  with  the  trophies 
which  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  Republic  herself;  and  Venice  ac- 
counted no  treasures  more  precious  than  the  four  antique  bronzes, 
which  were  afterward  known  as  the  'Horses  of  St.  Mark.' J 

Many  beautiful  objects  from  St.  Sophia  were  also  taken 
to  Venice,  and  placed  in  San  Marco.  The  high  altar 
with  its  bronze  gates  and  marble  columns  was  a  rich 
trophy,  as  well  as  many  sculptures  and  pictures,  vessels 
of  gold  and  silver,  and  a  great  quantity  of  church  furni- 
ture. The  famous  picture  of  the  Virgin,  believed  to  have 
been  painted  by  Saint  Luke  when  inspired  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  was  also  obtained  by  the  Venetians,  who  were 
accused  of  having  taken  the  larger  share  of  the  spoils  and 
of  having  concealed  many  treasures  in  their  vessels. 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  65 

It  was  not  until  the  9th  of  May  that  attention  was  given 
to  the  important  matter  of  the  election  of  a  new  Emperor. 
Six  Venetians  and  six  Frenchmen  or  Lombards,  according 
to  the  agreement  made  before  the  siege,  met  in  the  chapel 
of  the  Boucoleon  to  deliberate  on  this  momentous  and 
difficult  question.  The  choice  lay  between  Baldwin, 
whom  the  French  favored,  Boniface,  who  was  the  choice 
of  the  Lombards,  and  Dandolo,  whom  the  Venetians 
believed  the  most  worthy  and  best  to  have  earned  the 
purple.  "That  old  man,"  said  they,  "has  gained  the 
wisdom  and  experience  of  age  without  losing  the  vigor 
and  fire  of  youth ;  his  sight  may  be  dim ;  but  his  intellect 
is  clear  and  strong,  — it  is  he  who  took  Constantinople." 
The  electors,  too,  were  of  this  opinion,  until  one  of  the 
Venetians  opposed  it,  and  in  a  long  argument  showed  so 
many  good  reasons  against  the  election  of  Dandolo  that 
the  matter  rested  between  Baldwin  and  Boniface,  and  at 
midnight  the  expectant  thousands  heard  the  cry,  "Long 
live  the  Emperor  Baldwin!" 

Boniface  and  Dandolo  hastened  to  congratulate  the 
Count  of  Flanders,  and  to  take  their  part  in  raising  him 
on  the  buckler;  according  to  the  ancient  custom,  he  was 
thus  carried  from  the  palace  to  St.  Sophia,  and  placed  on 
the  golden  throne  of  the  Emperors,  while  the  barons 
pressed  forward  to  kiss  his  hand,  and  he  was  solemnly 
invested  with  the  scarlet  buskins.  A  few  days  later,  he 
was  crowned  by  the  Legate,  as  no  Patriarch  then  existed 
in  Constantinople.  The  Venetians,  however,  soon  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  one  of  their  nobles,  Thomas 
Morosiui,  on  the  ecclesiastical  throne,  while  their  clergy 
filled  the  Chapter  of  St.  Sophia.  The  French  clergy  did 
not  regard  this  with  favor,  and  a  lengthy  correspondence 
with  Rome  ensued. 

At  first  Innocent  declared  the  election  of  Morosini  to  be 
entirely  null;  but  in  the  course  of  the  correspondence 

5 


66  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

many  considerations  were  presented  to  his  Holiness  which 
moderated  his  views.  He  did  not  love  the  Venetians, 
but  he  feared  them,  and  thought  it  wiser  to  be  at  peace 
with  them  than  to  arouse  their  stubbornness.  Indeed, 
Venice  now  had  some  claim  to  consideration  at  the  Vati- 
can. The  restorers  of  the  papal  supremacy  at  the  Greek 
capital  were  a  different  people  from  the  conquerors  of 
Zara,  and  after  mature  reflection  Innocent  approved  of 
the  elevation  of  Morosini  to  the  Patriarchate  of  Constan- 
tinople. One  can  but  feel  a  certain  sympathy  with 
Innocent  at  the  result  of  the  great  Crusade  for  which  he 
had  labored  and  from  which  he  hoped  so  much. 

"His  long  and  careful  preparations  had  been  defeated  by 
Philip,  Boniface,  and  Dandolo.  All  the  efforts  he  had  made  to 
strike  a  deadly  blow  at  Islam  had  come  to  naught.  The  prepa- 
rations made  at  so  much  cost  had  resulted  in  an  attack  upon 
Christians,  and  not  upon  Moslems.  Constantinople  bad  been 
captured  instead  of  Jerusalem.  The  opportunity,  so  favorable 
from  many  causes,  had  been  lost,  and  no  other  presenting  equal 
advantages  was  ever  to  occur  again.  Tbe  internal  quarrel  be- 
tween tbe  Saracen  leaders,  and  the  weakening  of  Egypt  by  the 
non-rising  of  the  Nile  during  a  succession  of  years,  were  acci- 
dental circumstances  which  were  never  repeated.  The  supreme 
moment  for  striking  a  blow  at  the  Saracens  at  a  time  when  it 
could  have  been  struck  with  effect  had  passed.  Innocent's  en- 
ergy was  too  great  to  allow  him  to  sit  idle  under  the  failure, 
but  all  his  efforts  were  unable  to  create  an  expedition  equal  in 
strength  to  that  of  1202." 

Preparations  were  now  made  for  the  second  coronation 
of  Baldwin  by  the  Patriarch  on  a  scale  of  magnificence 
which  surprised  the  Crusaders.  He  was  again  seated  on 
a  shield  and  raised  on  the  shoulders  of  the  chiefs,  and 
then  descending  was  conducted  to  St.  Sophia  by  the 
barons  and  principal  officials.  Boniface  carried  the 
imperial  robe  of  cloth  of  gold.  The  Count  of  St.  Pol 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  67 

bore  the  imperial  sword.  At  St.  Sophia  a  solemn  Mass 
was  celebrated,  the  crown  was  placed  on  his  head,  and  the 
words  "  He  is  worthy  "  pronounced  and  repeated  by  the 
bishops  and  people.  After  the  new  sovereign  had  com- 
municated, he  received  all  the  imperial  insignia,  and  headed 
the  procession  from  the  church  to  the  Boucoleon,  attended 
by  the  Varangians.  The  streets  and  houses  on  the  way 
were  decorated  with  all  the  rich  carpets  and  hangings 
which  had  been  spared  by  the  three  fires  and  the  pillage, 
and  a  Frank  Emperor  was  seated  on  the  throne  of  Con- 
stantine  with  the  full  approbation  of  the  Holy  See. 

Again  a  grave  question,  that  of  the  division  of  the 
conquered  territory,  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Doge 
and  the  barons.  Twenty -four  commissioners,  one  half  of 
whom  were  Venetians,  were  authorized  to  make  the  allot- 
ment. Venice  received  the  Morea,  the  Illyric  Islands,  a 
large  portion  of  Thessaly,  the  Sporades,  the  Cyclades, 
the  cities  of  Adrianople,  Trajanople,  Didymotichos,  and 
Durazzo,  the  province  of  Servia,  and  the  coasts  of  the 
Hellespont.  But  with  all  this,  the  Venetians  were  not  con- 
tent. They  desired  possession  of  Candia,  which  had  been 
given  to  Boniface.  This  island  would  be  most  advantageous 
to  a  maritime  and  mercantile  nation ;  but  of  what  use  to  a 
prince  who  had  neither  ships  nor  commerce?  This  reason- 
ing so  commended  itself  to  Boniface  that  he  gladly  sold 
the  coveted  possession  to  the  Republic  for  thirty  pounds 
weight  of  gold,  or  about  ten  thousand  eight  hundred 
pounds  sterling. 

Various  titles  were  conferred  by  Baldwin  on  the  com- 
panions of  his  labors  and  honors.  Some  of  these  were 
most  fantastic ;  and  the  one  suggestion  of  the  weakness  of 
age  recorded  of  Dandolo  is  that  to  his  dignity  of  Doge 
of  Venice,  Dalmatia,  and  Croatia,  he  added  the  epithet  of 
"Despot  and  Lord  of  One  Fourth  and  One  Half  of  the 
Romanian  Empire ; "  and  as  indicating  that  he  was  second 


68  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

only  to  Baldwin,  he  claimed  the  right  to  tinge  his  buskins 
with  the  imperial  purple ! 

Thus  far  all  was  well ;  but  Baldwin  and  his  friends  knew 
that  much  serious  work  remained  to  be  done.  Other  con- 
quests must  be  made,  and  a  powerful  foe  vanquished  in 
Theodore  Lascaris,  the  brave  son-in-law  of  Alexius  III., 
who  had  many  adherents  throughout  the  Empire.  But 
before  making  any  offensive  movements  it  was  necessary 
to  obtain  provisions  and  secure  reinforcements,  which  had 
been  promised  by  the  Armenians.  The  summer  was 
spent  in  foraging  and  exploring  expeditions,  and  during 
the  winter  the  Latins  made  themselves  comfortable  in 
their  luxurious  quarters. 

Baldwin  grew  very  impatient  of  the  delay  of  the  Arme- 
nian troops.  They  were  absolutely  needful  to  insure  his 
success  in  any  siege  or  attack.  At  last  his  impatience 
overcame  his  prudence ;  and  in  March,  a  small  contingent 
having  arrived,  he  set  out  for  Adrianople,  where  in  April 
he  was  joined  by  Dandolo  and  the  Venetians,  who 
doubled  his  numbers.  The  lofty  ramparts  of  the  great 
city  could  not  be  easily  taken,  nor  its  numerous  garrison 
hastily  overcome.  The  King  of  Bulgaria  with  his  troops 
had  come  to  the  aid  of  Lascaris.  Fourteen  thousand 
Comans,  who,  mounted  on  their  fleet  steeds,  used  their 
bows  and  lances  with  unequalled  dexterity,  continually 
skirmished  almost  within  bowshot  of  the  army  of  the 
Latins,  inspiring  even  these  brave  soldiers  with  doubt 
and  hesitation.  At  length,  however,  these  taunts  pro- 
duced their  effect,  and  the  whole  Crusading  army  were 
eager  to  chastise  the  insolence  of  these  barbarians.  Even 
Dandolo,  "the  Prudent  of  the  Prudent,"  was  as  much  in 
favor  of  an  attack  as  he  was  ignorant  of  its  risks ;  and  it 
was  settled  that  he,  with  a  few  of  the  barons,  should 
remain  in  charge  of  the  camp  and  siege-works  with  a 
reserve  corps,  while  Baldwin  should  lead  the  attack. 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  69 

With  the  first  movement  of  the  Crusaders,  the  Comans 
retreated ;  and  Baldwin,  deceived  by  their  tactics,  pursued 
them  fully  two  leagues,  when  suddenly  he  perceived  that 
he  had  been  led  almost  within  the  lines  in  which  King 
John  had  disposed  his  troops  for  battle.  The  Comans 
then  wheeled  round  and  attacked  their  pursuers  with  the 
swiftness  of  lightning.  Just  when  Baldwin  thought  him- 
self on  the  point  of  victory,  the  whole  Bulgarian  army  was 
upon  him,  and  he  must  retreat  or  see  his  own  army  cut  to 
pieces.  He  decided  on  retreat;  and  Dandolo  and  Ville- 
hardouin  were  informed  by  the  first  stragglers  who  reached 
the  camp  of  the  total  rout  of  the  army,  the  death  of  the 
Count  of  Blois,  and  the  capture  of  the  Emperor  Baldwin. 

This  news  fell  upon  Dandolo  like  a  thunderbolt,  and  he 
immediately  saw  that  a  retreat  to  Constantinople  must  be 
made  at  once.  The  Bulgarians  were  approaching,  and  the 
Latins  were  too  few  to  meet  them.  In  the  night,  in 
spite  of  many  obstacles,  the  retreat  was  begun ;  after  four 
painful  days  the  old  Doge  and  the  remnant  of  the  troops 
reached  the  capital,  bringing  such  tidings  as  overwhelmed 
the  whole  city  with  grief  and  dread.  No  news  had  they 
of  Baldwin's  fate;  not  only  the  Count  of  Blois,  but  the 
flower  of  the  army  of  the  Crusaders,  had  been  cut  off  in 
the  retreat;  the  Bulgarians  might  soon  attack  Constanti- 
nople; the  neighboring  cities  favored  Lascaris,  and  aided 
the  Comans ;  and  worst  of  all,  they  had  learned  that  these 
bold  horsemen  had  met  and  destroyed  every  man  of  the 
Armenian  army  which  had  been  sent  to  Baldwin.  The 
garrison  of  the  capital  was  small,  provisions  were  scarce, 
and  it  would  require  months  for  help  to  come  from  Venice, 
France,  or  the  Vatican. 

And  now  came  the  cruelest  blow  of  all  in  the  death  of 
Dandolo.  He  died  at  the  Boucoleon  on  June  14.  His 
disease  (dysentery)  might  have  been  overcome  had  his 
mortification  and  anxiety  been  less;  he  could  not  survive 


70          THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

the  thought  that  the  great  undertaking  to  which  he  had 
devoted  all  his  powers,  and  which  had  been  so  fruitful  of 
great  results,  should  end  ingloriously  for  Venice  and  for 
himself. 

He  was  interred  in  St.  Sophia  with  imperial  honors; 
his  armor  was  buried  with  him,  and  for  nearly  two  cen- 
turies and  a  half  his  grave  was  unviolated,  and  Gentile 
Bellini  had  the  proud  satisfaction  of  bringing  the  cuirass, 
the  sword,  and  the  helmet  which  the  great  Doge  had  worn 
at  the  taking  of  Constantinople  to  Venice,  and  presenting 
them  to  the  descendants  of  the  grand  old  hero. 

There  is  an  inexpressible  sadness  in  the  death  of  the 
Doge  under  such  a  weight  of  sorrow  and  disappointment, 
and  tortured  by  apprehensions  of  evil  which  were  never 
realized.  King  John  did  not  suspect  the  weakness  of  the 
Latins ;  the  Comans  fled  to  the  north  to  avoid  the  sum- 
mer's heat ;  and  the  Bulgarian  monarch  turned  his  back 
on  Constantinople,  and  attacked  the  King  of  Thessalonica. 

The  result  of  Dandolo's  achievements  was  of  vast  import 
and  value  to  his  beloved  Republic.  She  acquired  world- 
wide glory  and  new  territory,  greater  scope  for  commerce 
and  extended  feudal  domain;  her  standard  now  floated 
above  almost  every  seaport,  large  or  small,  from  the  Lido 
to  the  Golden  Horn. 

"The  great  power  of  Venice  over  the  Adriatic,  the  ^Egean, 
and  especially  over  the  islands  mentioned,  and  over  a  portion  of 
the  Morea,  dates  from  the  Latin  conquest,  — a  power  which  was 
used,  on  the  whole,  well  and  wisely,  which  introduced  or  con- 
tinued fairly  good  government,  and  which  has  left  traces  in  well- 
constructed  roads  and  fortresses.  But,  as  was  natural,  the  results 
of  the  Latin  conquest  were  more  markedly  visible  in  Venice  her- 
self than  in  any  of  the  possessions  she  obtained.  Her  marts 
were  filled  with  merchandise;  her  ships  crowded  the  great  canals 
and  her  harbor  with  the  spoils  of  Asia  and  the  products  of  the 
Levant;  her  architecture  reproduced  and  improved  upon  that  of 


THE  VENETIANS  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE.  71 

Constantinople.  The  spoils  of  the  New  Rome  were  her  proudest 
ornaments.  Her  wealth  rapidly  increased.  The  magnificence 
of  the  New  Rome  was  transferred  to  Venice,  which  was  during 
the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  the  most  splendid  of 
Christian  cities." 

A  fourth  of  Constantinople  was  assigned  as  a  residence 
for  the  Venetians,  where  they  were  permitted  to  have  their 
own  magistrates  and  laws;  throughout  the  Greek  realm 
the  coins,  weights,  and  measures  of  Venice  were  recog- 
nized, and  the  treaty  of  1198  was  resumed  with  its  privi- 
leges to  Venetian  merchants.  The  Doge  of  Venice  was  to 
be  represented  in  Constantinople  by  an  officer  who  should 
protect  the  commercial  interests  of  Venice  in  the  East. 
Marino  Zeno,  who  had  been  a  close  friend  of  Dandolo,  was 
at  once  elected  to  this  office  of  Balio,  or  Podesta*  Three 
Councillors  of  State,  a  Treasurer  and  an  Advocate,  a  Court 
of  Proprio  and  a  Court  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  a 
commandant  of  the  troops  of  the  Republic  in  Romania 
were  sent  out  to  support  Zeno  in  his  lofty  and  arduous 
duties. 

The  Venetians  cherished  the  memory  of  Dandolo.  His 
genius  had  long  added  lustre  to  the  Republic,  and  the  news 
of  his  death  plunged  the  whole  city  into  sincere  mourning. 
His  achievements  and  the  exploits  of  his  army  aroused 
the  pride  of  the  Venetians  to  its  highest  pitch,  and  they 
desired  to  perpetuate  in  some  stable  manner  the  fame  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Fourth  Crusade.  Fortunately  the 
time  was  propitious  to  their  wishes;  the  close  of  the 
thirteenth  century  brought  a  revival  of  art  and  literature 
which,  among  its  many  glorious  results,  numbers  the 
rehearsal  of  the  deeds  of  Dandolo  and  his  allies  by  the 
historians,  and  the  picturing  of  their  immortal  achieve- 
ments upon  the  walls  of  the  Ducal  Palace. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MODERN   PROCESSIONS  AND   FESTIVALS. 

MEDIAEVAL  Venice  was  a  city  of  imposing  spec- 
tacles. Its  church  was  a  national  church,  and  its 
Patriarch,  the  heir  of  Saint  Mark,  was,  from  the  Venetian 
point  of  view,  the  peer  of  the  heir  of  Saint  Peter.  It  being 
a  strictly  Venetian  or  State  church,  the  Doge  was  its  head 
equally  with  the  Patriarch,  and  indeed  in  a  certain  way 
was  more  important;  for  the  chief  church  of  Venice  was 
not  that  of  the  Patriarch,  but  the  Chapel  of  the  Doge, 
while  the  Chapter  of  San  Marco  was  far  more  powerful 
than  the  Bishop,  who  was  officially  its  superior. 

But  it  pleased  the  State  to  make  its  church  prominent 
in  its  public  ceremonies;  and  each  great  event  in  its  his- 
tory—  be  it  the  deliverance  from  the  plague  or  a  con- 
spiracy, or  a  success  in  having  proved  a  plague  to  any  foe 
—  was  commemorated  by  a  religious  function.  Some  of 
these  splendid  processions  corresponded  to  those  of  other 
Catholic  countries  and  cities,  such  as  those  of  the  Corpus 
Domini  and  Palm  Sunday;  and  Gentile  Bellini's  pictures 
of  religious  processions  now  in  the  Academy  still  impress 
us  with  the  unequalled  pomp  and  magnificence  with  which 
the  Venetians  loved  to  dazzle  themselves  and  the  stran- 
gers within  their  gates. 

The  festivals  which  were  peculiar  to  Venice  were 
important.  The  procession  of  the  Doge  to  the  smallest 
and  perhaps  the  oldest  church  in  Venice,  San  Vio,  founded 
in  917,  celebrated  the  deliverance  of  the  city  from  the 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  73 

conspiracy  of  Tiepolo  in  1310 ;  and  as  it  occurred  on  the 
15th  of  June,  that  lovely  season  in  Venice,  we  can  but 
regret  its  discontinuance.  But  the  deliverance  from  the 
plague  in  1576  and  in  1631  is  still  celebrated  each  year. 
The  ravages  of  the  plague  in  Venice  at  various  times  were 
almost  beyond  belief.  That  of  1171  is  curiously  asso- 
ciated with  the  Giustiniani.  A  hundred  or  more  members 
of  this  most  noble  house  were  cut  off  by  this  scourge,  and 
its  very  name  was  in  danger  of  extinction,  since  the  young 
Niccolo,  who  now  represented  the  family,  was  a  novice 
in  the  convent  of  San  Niccolo,  on  the  Lido.  The  Doge 
Michieli,  under  these  circumstances,  thought  it  not  wrong 
to  send  at  once  to  the  Pope,  asking  that  Niccolo  Gius- 
tiniani might  be  released  from  his  vows,  and  married  to 
Anna  Michieli,  the  daughter  of  the  Doge.  Mrs.  Oliphant 
pictures  the  interval  between  the  departure  of  the  mes- 
senger and  his  return :  — 

"The  old  Giustiniani  fathers,  in  the  noble  houses  which  were 
not  as  yet  the  palaces  we  know,  must  have  waited  among  their 
weeping  women  for  the  decision  from  Rome.  And  it  is  wonder- 
ful that  no  dramatist  or  modern  Italian  romancer  should  have 
thought  of  taking  for  his  hero  this  young  monk  upon  the  silent 
shores  of  the  Lido,  amid  all  the  wonderful  dramas  of  light  and 
shade  that  go  on  upon  the  low  horizon  sweeping  round  on  every 
side,  a  true  globe  of  level,  long  reflections,  of  breadth  and  space 
and  solitude,  so  apt  for  thought. 

"Had  he  known,  perhaps,  before  he  thought  of  dedication  to 
the  church,  young  Anna  Michieli,  between  whose  eyes  and  his, 
from  her  windows  in  the  Doge's  palace  to  the  green  line  of  the 
Lido,  there  was  nothing  but  the  dazzle  of  the  sunshine  and  the 
ripple  of  the  sea  ?  Was  there  a  simple  romance  of  this  natural 
kind,  waiting  to  be  turned  into  joyful  fulfilment  by  the  Pope's 
favorable  answer  ?  Or  had  the  novice  to  give  up  his  dreams  of 
holy  seclusion,  or  those  highest,  all-engrossing  visions  of  ambi- 
tion, which  were  to  no  man  more  open  than  to  a  bold  and  able 
priest  ?  " 


74  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

The  Pope  could  but  consent  under  such  circumstances, 
and  the  marriage  was  celebrated  immediately.  Nine  sons 
and  three  daughters  were  born  of  this  union;  and  many 
men  of  illustrious  character  and  some  great  orators  after- 
ward proceeded  from  the  Casa  Giustiniani.  But  his  life 
in  the  world,  with  all  its  good  fortune,  did  not  make 
Xiccolo  forgetful  of  his  early  vows  nor  of  the  peace  of  his 
convent;  and  when  his  duty  to  the  State  was  done,  he 
there  re-dedicated  himself  to  God's  service,  and  his  wife 
Anna  entered  her  chosen  nunnery,  where  the  holiness  of 
her  life  caused  her  to  be  made  a  Beata  after  her  death. 

Four  centuries  later  Venice  was  again  decimated;  and 
the  deliverance  from  the  plague  of  1576  is  celebrated  to 
this  day  on  the  third  Sunday  of  July,  which  is  called 

THE   FETE   OF  THE  REDENTORE. 

For  some  days  previously  the  city  is  in  commotion.  A 
pontoon  bridge  is  thrown  across  the  Grand  Canal ;  and  the 
ferrymen,  whose  earnings  are  thus  lessened,  receive  three 
francs  a  day  as  compensation.  Pilgrims  from  the  neigh- 
boring islands  and  from  the  mainland  are  constantly 
arriving,  and  a  motley  crowd  throngs  all  Venice. 

All  Sunday  morning  the  Piazza  of  San  Marco  is  a  busy 
place,  for  there  the  priests  from  every  parish  of  Venice 
gather,  and  form  the  procession  that  marches  hence  to  the 
Church  of  the  Redentore.  The  variously  colored  stoles  of 
the  priests  indicate  the  parishes  to  which  they  belong ;  and 
when  the  procession  is  seen  from  a  distance,  these  stripes 
of  color  are  very  curious  in  effect.  As  the  church  has  a 
commanding  position  on  the  island  of  La  Giudecca,  one 
may  easily  have  a  fine  view  of  the  procession  on  the 
bridge,  and  by  quickly  crossing  in  a  gondola  lose  little  of 
the  pageant  in  the  church,  which  has  no  doubt  lost  much 
of  its  original  splendor. 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  75 

But  the  great  interest  of  the  festa  is  outside  the  church. 
The  quays  are  filled  with  tents  and  stalls,  decorated  gayly 
with  flags,  and  displaying  cheap  toys,  cakes,  ices,  and 
fennel,  as  well  as  hot  fritelle,  and  more  solid  food  for 
those  who  wish.  The  children  are  never  weary  of  these 
tents,  while  dancing-halls  have  been  hastily  improvised 
for  their  elders.  And  so  all  day  long  there  is  tramping 
and  chattering,  a  sense  of  confusion  and  unrest,  which 
invades  even  the  interiors  of  the  most  retired  houses ;  and 
one  is  better  off  to  join  in  the  festivities  and  fully  do  his 
part  than  to  attempt  to  be  quiet. 

The  real  festa,  however,  seems  to  begin  only  when  the 
day  is  ended.  As  soon  as  the  sun  sinks  to  rest,  the  whole 
Giudecca  Canal  is  covered  with  boats  fancifully  decorated 
with  boughs,  and  illuminated  with  lanterns  shaped  like 
lilies,  fuschias,  and  other  flowers  whose  form  lends  itself 
to  illumination.  Much  time  and  skill  is  lavished  on 
these  decorations,  as  the  best  device  gains  a  handsome 
prize. 

A  little  later  the  supper  gondolas  appear.  These  are 
brilliantly  lighted  with  lamps,  and  so  beautifully  dressed 
with  green  branches  and  wreaths  that  they  seem  like  liv- 
ing bowers.  The  tables  are  well  filled,  and  the  boats 
crowded  with  joyous  holiday-seekers,  whose  laughs  and 
jests,  intermingled  with  the  sound  of  mandolins  and 
songs,  are  most  contagious  in  their  merriment.  As  soon 
as  it  is  dark  enough,  fireworks  are  set  off  in  many  parts 
of  the  city,  but  especially  on  the  Giudecca,  and  the  air  is 
full  of  rockets  and  Roman  candles.  The  gayety  of  the 
scene  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated ;  and  its  whole  appear- 
ance is  so  characteristic  of  Venice,  and  so  unlike  any  other 
place,  that  it  is  quite  impossible  to  draw  a  true  picture 
of  it  in  words.  From  the  inauguration  of  the  festa  of 
the  Redentore,  it  has  been  the  custom  to  pass  the  night 
on  the  water;  and  about  two  o'clock  the  boats  all  move 


76  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

towards  the  Lido,  there  to  salute  the  rising  sun,  and  many 
of  the  people  rush  into  the  water  to  hail  the  God  of  Day. 

Thus  ends  the  midsummer  fete,  so  well  worth  seeing 
and  so  unique.  But  is  not  all  a  Venetian  summer  full  of 
charm  ?  To  us  each  day  is  a  lovely  festa. 


A   REGATTA. 

Venice  is  especially  suited  to  scenic  displays  upon  the 
water, — the  winding  Grand  Canal,  cutting  the  city  like 
a  mammoth  letter  S>  opening  into  the  Basin  of  St.  Mark, 
the  Ducal  Palace  on  one  side,  and  San  Giorgio  on  the 
other,  the  curve  of  the  Riva  degli  Schiavoni  running  into 
the  public  gardens,  all  lend  themselves  to  spectacles  with 
perfect  fitness. 

Of  late  y«ars,  too,  the  Town  Council  has  generously 
encouraged  the  regatta  with  money  and  influence.  The 
course  of  the  race  is  from  the  stairs  of  the  public  gardens 
to  the  Station,  and  back  to  the  Palazzo  Foscari.  The 
prizes  are  money  and  flags,  —  red,  green,  and  blue  for  the 
first  three  boats,  and  a  sucking  pig  and  a  yellow  flag  with 
a  pig  embroidered  on  it  for  the  last  boat.  One  would 
think  that  after  falling  behind  so  much  as  to  surely  fail 
of  the  first  prizes,  there  would  be  a  contention  for  the 
hindmost  place. 

There  is  no  end  to  the  varieties  of  the  Venetian  craft, 
—  gondolas,  sandolos,  barche,  fiarchette,  topos,  cavaline, 
vipere,  bissoni,  and  many  more.  Before  the  regatta 
begins,  the  Grand  Canal  is  covered  with  boats  of  every 
size.  All  the  palaces  are  hung  with  tapestries,  rugs,  cur- 
tains, and  any  stuffs  of  a  gay  color,  while  flags  flutter 
everywhere.  Every  balcony  and  window  is  full  of  people 
and  heads,  while  the  roofs  are  black  with  those  who  have 
no  more  advantageous  outlooks. 

By  far  the  most  interesting  boats  are  the  bissone  and 


Festival  Scene,  Bridge  of  the  Rittltti. 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS   AND  FESTIVALS.  77 

peote,  rowed  by  ten  and  twelve  oars,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
keep  the  race-course  clear.  These  are  decorated  by  the 
commercial  houses  of  the  city,  and  are  symbolical  in  their 
designs,  the  crews  being  dressed  in  accordance  with  the 
decorations.  One  may  resemble  a  Chinese  junk ;  another 
represents  the  tropics,  bearing  palms  and  gorgeous  flow- 
ers and  even  tropical  birds;  another  may  have  a  Polar 
bear  on  its  bows,  with  its  rowers  imitating  walruses,  and 
sitting  on  cakes  of  ice ;  one  is  usually  decorated  with  glass 
from  Murano,  which  sparkles  like  precious  stones  in  the 
sunlight.  These  have  each  a  special  color,  — blue,  gold, 
pink,  silver,  green,  and,  in  truth,  all  the  gay  colors 
known;  and  as,  in  order  to  keep  the  course  clear,  they 
must  constantly  move  about,  they  make  a  charming  effect, 
and  are  vastly  amusing  to  those  who  are  waiting  and 
watching  for  the  race. 

The  gondolas  of  the  nobility  are  frequently  gay,  with 
the  livery  of  the  four  gondoliers  they  carry.  Many  of 
them  are  dressed  in  antique  style,  with  puffed  hose,  long 
silk  stockings,  gay  doublets,  and  plumed  hats;  and  other 
private  boats,  especially  the  large  bissone,  carry  gayly 
dressed  parties,  while  their  crews  are  in  liveries  of  velvet 
or  silk  with  lace  and  costly  trimmings. 

Suddenly  the  boom  of  a  cannon  hushes  all  voices.  The 
race  has  begun.  It  is  rowed  in  small,  light  gondolas, 
and  every  eye  is  fixed  on  the  spot  where  these  boats  will 
first  be  seen.  When  they  are  near  enough  to  tell  who 
leads,  there  are  cheers  and  shouts  of  encouragement.  The 
race  sweeps  by  and  disappears.  The  excitement  becomes 
intense,  and  bets  are  freely  made,  comments  of  all  sorts 
are  heard,  and  until  the  boats  again  come  in  sight,  on 
their  return,  one  might  well  question  if  Babel  were  as 
noisy  as  Venice  at  a  regatta.  As  the  victor  nears  the 
winning  post,  the  silence  is  breathless.  He  saatches  his 
flag;  his  name  is  shouted  by  thousands;  the  regatta  is 


78  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

finished ;  and  already  the  people  are  talking  of  the  amuse- 
ments which  are  still  to  be  enjoyed. 


THE    SERENADE. 

Coming  after  the  regatta,  the  serenade  is  a  fresh 
delight  The  anxieties  are  ended,  and  everybody  can  now 
enjoy  the  lovely  evening,  the  cool  breeze,  the  glimpses  of 
exquisite  palace  interiors,  of  gondolas  filled  with  ladies 
in  festa  costumes,  and  of  decorations  and  illuminations 
everywhere. 

Eight  o'clock  is  the  hour  for  beginning;  and  a  large 
barge  decorated  with  many  green  and  red  lamps  arranged 
in  pyramids  and  other  more  fanciful  designs  carries  the 
orchestra  and  the  singers.  It  starts  from  above  the 
Rialto,  and  is  soon  surrounded  by  numberless  gondolas. 
Each  gondolier  strives  for  the  best  position,  and  that  is 
thought  to  be  at  the  bow  of  the  music  barge.  The  whole 
mass  of  boats  float  with  the  tide ;  and  as  they  come  to  the 
narrower  part  of  the  canal,  neither  barge  nor  any  gondola 
can  move  forward  or  back. 

Under  the  arch  of  the  bridge  the  scene  is  like  a  good- 
natured  pandemonium.  The  police  bid  the  rowers  do  this 
and  do  that,  but  they  only  make  a  pretence  of  trying  to 
obey.  The  police  shout,  "Avanti,  avanti!"  the  boatmen 
repeat  the  cry,  but  nothing  moves.  At  last  the  chief 
official,  by  means  of  a  trumpet,  gives  an  order  to  "pump," 
and  at  once  a  fire-engine  on  the  barge  throws  a  stream 
of  water  which  loosens  the  block  a  little,  and  the  barge 
advances  a  few  feet  A  very  curious  effect  is  produced 
by  the  different  sorts  of  lights.  The  cold,  colorless  elec- 
tric, the  brilliant  hues  of  the  Bengal  lights,  and  the  soft 
glimmering  from  the  stars  in  the  clear  blue  above,  bring 
out  the  statuesque  figures  of  the  gondoliers  and  the  fronts 
of  the  palaces,  —  now  like  startling  ghosts,  again  like 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  79 

blushing  youths,  and  then  as  impalpable  spirit-forms. 
They  appear  and  disappear  as  the  lights  change  and  as  the 
boats  move.  The  gondoliers  are  mostly  clothed  in  white, 
and  seem  like  dream  figures,  as  do  the  exquisite  fa9adcs 
with  their  delicate  tracery  and  ornament. 

The  serenade  is  apparently  endless ;  for  in  spite  of  the 
pumping,  its  progress  is  very  slow,  and  the  barge  will  not 
reach  the  Salute  until  long  past  midnight.  There  the 
lights  are  put  out,  and  the  musicians  released.  Little 
attention  is  given  to  the  music,  which  seems  only  to  be 
a  nucleus  for  this  most  novel  and  fantastic  scene,  from 
which  one  may  easily  escape  by  a  side  canal,  and  end  the 
evening  with  one  more  spectacle. 

THE   ILLUMINATION. 

This  is  the  appropriate  end  of  a  really  grand  festival ; 
and  the  scene  in  the  Piazza  is  as  beautiful,  if  not  as  excit- 
ing, as  the  race  or  the  serenade.  So  brilliant  is  the  light 
that  not  a  detail  of  the  architecture  is  lost.  Every  column, 
with  all  its  ornament,  each  cornice,  pillar,  and  curve  is 
outlined  by  little  jets  of  golden  flame,  and  even  of  a  deeper 
tint;  and  all  these  lights  are  flickering  just  enough  to 
dazzle  the  eye  with  an  effect  like  a  rippling  sea  of  fire. 
In  weird  contrast  is  the  fa9ade  of  San  Marco,  lighted  by 
electricity.  It  is  pale  and  unearthly,  and  its  domes  seem 
to  be  suspended  in  air.  No  wonder  that  the  doves  fly 
hither  and  thither  in  fright  and  amazement,  and  cluster 
in  the  darker  Piazzetta,  where  they  and  we  may  thank- 
fully rest  our  eyes  and  look  out  to  San  Giorgio,  now  all 
aflame  with  many-colored  lamps. 

Again  to  the  Piazza,  to  note  what  we  may  not  yet  have 
seen.  The  two  Procuratie  and  the  Piazza  walls  are  like 
sheets  of  fire,  for  the  lamps  of  the  square  have  globes  of 
crimson  glass.  Surely  nowhere  else  has  one  seen  such 


80  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

color,  so  splendid  and  fascinating,  so  blinding  and  con- 
fusing, that  late  though  it  be  we  bid  our  good  gondolier 
make  a  giro  in  the  quiet  canals,  which  seem  to  wel- 
come us  as  old  friends  do,  and  restore  the  equilibrium 
which  the  regatta,  the  serenade,  and  the  illumination 
have  somewhat  disturbed;  and  in  this  quiet  there  come 
back  to  us  the  lines  we  learned  so  long  ago,  writ  by 
another  pilgrim  in  this  same  Venice,  — 

I  can  repeople  with  the  past,  —  and  of 

The  present  there  is  still  for  eye  and  thought, 

And  meditation  chastened  down,  enough ; 

And  more,  it  may  be,  than  I  hoped  or  sought ; 

And  of  the  happiest  moments  which  were  wrought 

Within  the  web  of  my  existence,  some 

From  thee,  fair  Venice !  have  their  colors  caught. 

LORD  BTHON. 

THE   MADONNA   DELL  A   SALUTE. 

The  plague  of  1630  was  the  seventieth,  and  the  last 
great  plague  of  Venice.  Eighty-two  thousand  victims 
had  died  in  the  city  and  the  neighboring  islands,  and  six- 
teen months  of  horror  and  suffering  had  passed  since  its 
outbreak.  Not  a  sound  of  joy  was  heard  in  all  the  extent 
of  Venice  when  special  public  prayers  were  made,  and  the 
Senate  vowed  to  the  Holy  Virgin  —  "  Mary,  the  Mother  of 
Health  "  —  that  a  church  should  be  built  in  her  honor  if 
she  would  but  stay  the  plague.  And  lo!  suddenly,  in 
November,  1631,  the  scourge  was  stayed. 

Fifty-five  years  before,  the  votive  church  of  the  Reden- 
tore  had  been  built  in  gratitude  to  a  similar  answer  to 
their  prayers;  and  now  the  people  were  determined  to 
erect  a  still  more  splendid  church,  upon  a  piece  of  land 
on  the  point  of  the  Dogana,  which  the  Knights  Templars 
had  given  to  the  Republic.  But  it  would  take  a  long 
time  to  build  a  church,  and  the  people  were  in  haste  to 
put  all  their  sadness  behind  them,  and  to  have  one  festal 


Church  of  Santa  Maria  delta  Salute. 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  81 

day  without  delay.  Accordingly,  the  28th  of  November- 
was  appointed,  and  a  wooden  structure  erected  hastily,  in 
which  to  celebrate  the  jubilee. 

The  procession  left  the  high  altar  of  San  Marco;  and 
when  it  reached  the  centre  of  the  Piazza,  the  health 
officers  announced  that  the  plague  was  stayed  by  the 
Virgin.  This  announcement  was  welcomed  by  salvos  of 
artillery,  peals  of  bells,  and  blare  of  trumpets.  The  pro- 
cession then  moved  on,  and  crossing  the  Grand  Canal  by 
a  pontoon  bridge,  it  reached  the  wooden  church. 

A  writer  of  that  period  tells  us  that  the  day  was  most 
propitious.  Not  a  cloud  obscured  the  deep  blue  sky,  and 
the  air  was  as  mild  as  that  of  spring.  Nothing  was  omit- 
ted that  could  add  to  the  splendor  of  the  procession.  The 
gorgeous  robes  of  the  priests,  the  candlesticks  of  gold  and 
silver,  the  flags  of  all  the  noble  guilds  and  companies,  the 
elder  nobles  with  long  white  tapers  in  their  hands,  and 
the  younger  in  all  the  bravery  of  doublets  and  hose,  fur- 
nished a  spectacle  not  easily  excelled;  and  in  every  year 
of  the  two  hundred  and  sixty-two  that  have  since  passed, 
this  jubilee  has  been  repeated  with  all  possible  splendor. 

On  the  April  following  the  first  stone  was  laid  in  the 
new  church,  which  rests  on  1,200,000  piles.  And  there, 
at  the  entrance  of  the  canal  it  stands,  with  its  buttresses 
and  statues  and  cupolas,  —  in  a  word,  with  all  its  archi- 
tectural audacity,  —  declaring  the  grateful  veneration  of 
the  Venetians  for  "Mary,  the  Mother  of  Health;"  and  on 
this  festa  every  Venetian,  be  he  devout  or  not,  feels  it  a 
duty  to  visit  her  church. 

From  the  early  morning  the  noise  of  the  gathering 
crowds  is  heard.  All  around  the  church  are  stalls  with 
hot  coffee,  fish,  and  other  food  for  sale,  and  above  all  gal- 
lani,  —  a  delicacy  which  belongs  especially  to  this  jubilee, 
of  which  the  Venetians  are  very  fond.  It  consists  of  little 
cups  of  pastry  filled  with  a  preparation  of  lard,  white  of 


82          THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

eggs,  and  flour  whipped  to  a  froth.  It  must  be  an  acquired 
taste  to  be  enjoyed  by  any  but  a  true  Venetian.  Other 
little  booths  are  filled  with  "  portraits  "  and  statuettes  of 
the  Madonna  and  the  saints;  and  there  is  a  lively  fair  all 
about  the  church  before  the  hour  for  the  great  function. 

This  begins  at  half-past  ten.  The  procession  is  formed, 
and  moves  to  the  church  in  the  same  manner  as  that  of 
the  Redentore.  Within  the  church  the  people  light  the 
candles  they  have  brought,  one  taking  the  fire  from 
another;  and  these  lighted  candles,  in  all  sizes,  from  the 
largest  that  are  on  sale  down  to  mere  tapers,  are  handed 
to  the  priests  within  the  altar-rails,  and  are  placed  near 
the  statue  of  the  Madonna,  triumphing  over  a  symbolic 
figure  of  the  plague.  Thousands  of  candles  are  thus 
massed,  until  the  space  around  the  altar  is  a  sheet  of 
flame.  Those  who  add  to  the  candles  a  small  sum  of 
money  receive  a  picture  of  the  Madonna,  which  they  kiss 
devoutly,  and  then  conceal  in  some  hiding-place  about 
their  dress. 

Then  the  solemn  services  begin,  one  Mass  succeeding 
another,  until  the  vespers  and  benediction  close  the  day 
at  five  o'clock.  Meantime  the  women  sit  and  gaze  at  the 
men  constantly  moving  under  the  great  cupola,  wherever 
they  can  thread  the  crowd.  They  are  all  clean,  well 
shaven,  and  dressed  in  their  best.  The  gondoliers,  with 
blue  sashes,  present  "  a  symphony  in  shirts ; "  for  in  this 
use  of  flannel  they  are  able  to  show  their  love  for  color, 
and  most  of  them  are  artists  enough  to  know  the  tint  that 
is  most  becoming. 

The  season  of  the  year  forbids  the  open-air  festivities 
which  accompany  other  fetes;  but  the  wine-shops  and 
restaurants  make  a  rich  harvest  through  the  evening  and 
far  into  the  night,  and  jests  and  songs  are  heard  in  all 
the  streets.  In  truth,  the  hour  when  one  may  really 
sleep  becomes  a  doubtful  question;  for  it  happens  many 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  83 

times  that  just  when  one  is  comfortably  dreaming^  per- 
haps for  the  twentieth  time,  he  hears  in  musical  tones, 
sometimes  singly  and  again  in  trios  or  quartettes,  "  Viva 
Italia!  Vi  vail  Re!" 


FETES    OF   THE   PEOPLE. 

But  perhaps  the  most  interesting  of  all  the  Venetian 
feste,  and  certainly  the  most  characteristic,  are  those  dis- 
tinctly of  the  people,  and  confined  to  the  contrada,  or 
quarter,  in  which  the  event  occurs.  A  quarter  is  often 
thrown  into  the  greatest  excitement  by  a  challenge  to  a 
rowing-match.  The  qualities  of  the  champions  are  hotly 
discussed,  bets  are  made,  and  the  spirit  of  rivalry  recalls 
that  of  the  ancient  Nicolotti  and  Castellani.  Indeed, 
these  very  terms  are  still  used  on  such  occasions,  though 
one  is  puzzled  to  know  in  what  way  one  of  these  poor 
boatmen  can  represent  the  aristocratic  Nicolotti  of  Hera- 
clea.  However,  since  these  wear  a  black  cap  and  sash, 
and  the  Castellani  wear  red,  the  names  and  their  colors 
still  serve  a  good  purpose. 

The  street-fights  between  these  parties,  the  Forze 
d'Ercole,  and  other  trials  of  their  strength  and  skill  are 
all  things  of  the  past;  and  it  is  only  on  the  occasion  of  a 
regatta  of  the  people  that  the  question  is  asked,  "Who 
will  win,  Castello  or  San  Niccolo  ?  " 

The  day  before  these  races  the  two  boats  are  carefully 
cleaned,  everything  being  scraped  off  the  bottoms.  They 
are  then  weighed  at  the  Custom  House,  and  tied  to  the 
posts  of  a  ferry,  where  they  remain,  under  the  guard  of  a 
friend  of  each  of  the  contestants,  during  the  night.  The 
race  is  rowed  early  in  the  morning;  and  only  those  who 
may  most  decidedly  be  called  il  popolo  show  any  knowledge 
or  interest  concerning  it.  They  gather  in  all  sorts  of 
crafts  close  by  the  gardens  and  by  San  Giorgio.  At  half- 


84  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

past  seven  the  report  of  a  gun  is  heard,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  race  sweeps  past.  The  red  caps  are  lead- 
ing ;  and  those  in  the  boats  who  favor  that  color  are  pro- 
portionately gay,  while  the  black  caps  are  silent  and 
downcast. 

All  the  boats  that  have  been  waiting  follow  the  race  for 
a  certain  distance;  but  its  speed  is  too  great  for  them,  and 
near  the  end  of  the  Giudecca  they  await  the  return.  The 
course  is  usually  about  twelve  miles;  and  after  an  hour 
and  a  quarter,  or  perhaps  a  little  less,  two  white  specks 
are  seen  far  away  across  the  water.  These  specks  grow 
larger  and  clearer,  and  the  greatest  impatience  possesses 
the  watchers  until  they  can  discover  which  color  leads. 
The  boats  stream  out  in  two  lines  to  meet  the  racers,  who 
are  taking  different  courses,  and  are  so  far  apart  that  no 
one  can  yet  decide  as  to  the  end.  But  when  the  first  boat 
reaches  the  fa$ade  of  San  Giorgio,  it  is  still  the  red  cap 
that  holds  the  lead.  "  Bravo,  bravo ! "  is  heard  from  all 
sides  in  joyous  shouts ;  but  the  boats  vanish  like  those  in 
a  dissolving  view.  They  have  given  all  the  time  they  can 
afford,  and  each  must  now  go  to  his  duty,  except  a  few  of 
the  more  active  spirits,  who  haste  to  greet  the  victor,  and 
arrange  a  supper  in  his  honor. 

This  feast  usually  takes  place  within  the  week,  and  is 
a  gay  affair,  for  after  the  supper  there  is  dancing,  and  all 
are  in  the  best  of  spirits.  The  hall  in  which  the  tables 
are  laid  is  always  decorated  with  the  portraits  of  victori- 
ous boatmen,  and  flags  and  banners  won  in  other  races. 
The  ancient  custom  of  having  a  portrait  made  of  the 
winner  still  survives,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  great  pride  to 
collect  these  each  time  a  new  victory  is  gained  for  the  red 
caps  or  the  black. 

The  supper  requires  a  long  time;  for  three  quarters  of 
an  hour  is  allowed  to  pass  in  smoking,  talking,  and  sing- 
ing between  the  courses.  Wine  is  there  in  plenty ;  for  if 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  85 

only  men  are  at  the  supper,  it  is  brought  in  a  forty-litre 
tub,  suspended  on  poles  from  the  shoulders  of  two  men, 
and  welcomed  with  huzzas.  The  room  grows  warm,  and 
jackets  are  thrown  off,  as  the  merriment  increases,  expos- 
ing the  brilliant  flannel  shirts  and  sashes,  until  at  last 
the  final  course  of  the  orthodox  boatmen's  supper  has 
been  eaten,  for  the  menu  is  as  unalterable  as  the  courses 
of  the  stars.  And  now  the  tables  must  be  cleared  and  the 
dancing  begin.  And  such  dancing !  Their  waltz  is  slow 
and  long,  and  they  love  it  to  madness.  They  abandon 
themselves  to  its  rhythmic  movement  with  delight,  and 
often  sing  as  they  dance,  as  if  every  possible  expression 
must  be  given  to  their  perfect  happiness.  One  cannot 
foretell  the  hour  when  it  will  end.  Not  so  long  as  the 
musicians  will  play,  —  for  when  was  a  dancing  gondolier 
known  to  be  weary?  And  when  the  Marcia  reale  or 
Garibaldi's  Hymn  is  played,  with  what  impetuosity  do  the 
dancers  respond  I 

THE  SACRA,    OR  PARISH   FETE. 

Each  parish  in  Venice  has  its  patron  saint,  and  on  that 
saint's  day  the  whole  parish  is  devoted  to  its  celebration. 
Early  in  the  morning  a  procession  visits  every  shrine 
within  the  borders  of  the  parish  to  burn  incense  before  it. 

First  in  the  procession  are  those  who  carry  the  crosses, 
banners,  and  candelabra,  all  the  portable  belongings  of 
the  Church,  made  as  fresh  as  possible  for  the  sagra,  and 
a  Madonna,  usually  seated  in  a  somewhat  shaky  chair. 
These  bearers  wear  a  sort  of  priestly  vestment  over  their 
work-day  clothes;  and  these  are  carefully  arranged  in 
groups  of  different  colors,  —  first  blue,  then  red,  and  lastly 
white.  It  is  most  interesting  to  see  the  faces  of  these 
bronzed,  weather-beaten  men,  more  accustomed  to  rowing 
than  to  walking.  They  stagger  beneath  their  burdens 


86  THE   QUEEN   OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

from  side  to  side  of  the  narrow  calle;  but  they  smile  as 
they  meet  the  gaze  of  neighbors  and  friends,  who  watch 
from  the  windows  and  doorways  the  progress  of  their 
carissima  Madonna. 

Behind  the  bearers  comes  the  sacristan,  —  a  person  of 
importance,  clothed  in  scarlet,  walking  backward,  and 
ringing  a  bell.  He  is  the  marshal  of  the  procession ;  and 
every  boy  is  sober  and  properly  behaved  when  within 
sight  of  this  important  official.  Following  him  the  music 
comes,  —  usually  a  clarinet,  fife,  trombone,  and  drum,  — 
playing  the  most  cheerful  themes,  and  followed  by  three 
little  acolytes,  who  swing  their  censers  with  such  a  will  as 
to  send  up  perfect  clouds  of  incense.  The  parish  priest 
comes  next,  and  is  usually  an  old  and  venerable  man. 
He  is  dressed  in  rich  robes  and  laces,  and  attended  by 
men  bearing  a  canopy  over  his  head.  He  carries  the  Host 
reverently  in  his  hands,  and  is  followed  by  all  the  lesser 
clergy  and  officials  of  the  parish.  Then  the  pious  men 
and  women,  the  first  in  black  clothes  and  bareheaded, 
and  the  last  in  long  black  veils,  make  a  large  part  of  the 
procession ;  and  here  a  most  curious  economical  custom  is 
observed.  Each  of  these  parishioners  carries  a  lighted 
taper,  and  to  avoid  its  dripping,  holds  it  sideways  across 
the  breast;  and  beside  each  one  of  these  walks  some  one 
with  a  paper  bag  in  which  to  catch  the  drippings  of  the 
wax.  And  so  the  procession  winds  in  and  out  of  every 
possible  place  in  all  the  parish.  It  is  often  forced  to  halt 
by  some  obstacle  in  the  narrow  way;  and  those  below  are 
nodding  and  smiling  to  those  above,  for  every  window 
and  balcony  is  filled.  The  procession  stops  at  the  last 
bridge  in  the  parish,  which  has  been  covered  with  gayly 
colored  mats.  The  music  ceases ;  the  priest  alone,  under 
his  canopy,  climbs  to  the  highest  point  on  the  arch  of  the 
bridge,  and  raises  the  Host  in  air.  Every  voice  is  hushed, 
every  head  uncovered,  and  every  knee  bent.  The  only 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS   AND   FESTIVALS.  87 

sound  is  of  the  water  gliding  on  and  on  to  the  sea.  All 
is  enclosed  by  high  walls;  but  if  one  throws  the  head 
quite  back,  a  strip  of  lovely  placid  blue  symbolizes  the 
peace  which  these  humble  worshippers  are  hoping  to  gain 
at  last. 

Suddenly  the  music  plays  its  gayest  waltz,  the  proces- 
sion returns  to  the  church  with  the  consciousness  of  duty 
done,  and  the  rest  of  the  day  is  devoted  to  festivity,  and 
in  the  evening  the  principal  open  space  of  the  contrada  is 
illuminated  with  a  few  extra  lamps  and  some  Bengal 
lights.  Before  almost  every  window  hangs  a  picture  of 
the  saint  whose  day  it  is,  and  these  are  lighted  by  little 
oil-lamps. 

Here,  too,  as  in  the  greater  festivals,  are  stalls  for 
selling  fruit  and  pasties,  or  hot  boiled  chestnuts  and 
fritelle  ;  and  much  wit  is  expended  in  buying  and  selling 
these  wares.  Somewhere  in  the  quarter  there  is  dancing, 
too,  usually  in  the  middle  of  the  square;  and  when  the 
spectator  is  fortunate  in  his  position,  the  whole  scene  is  a 
delightful  repetition  of  the  fairs  and  feste  of  the  people  so 
often  seen  upon  the  theatre  or  operatic  stage,  but  far  more 
beautiful  and  fascinating  if  the  night  be  a  moonlit  one  of 
early  summer. 

These  parish  festivals  are  managed  entirely  by  the 
people,  and  are  more  or  less  impressive  according  to  the 
collections  that  the  capo,  or  manager,  is  able  to  make.  On 
this  depend  the  amount  of  the  illumination  and  the  bril- 
liancy of  the  fireworks  at  the  end;  and  no  triumphant 
general  ever  had  more  pride  in  his  victory  than  has  this 
capo,  when  at  the  close  of  the  festa  he  is  applauded,  and 
bids  the  band  play  the  finale,  which  is,  of  course,  the 
ever-present  "Viva  Italia!  viva  il  Re." 

It  is  only  with  plenty  of  time,  and  that  at  the  right 
season,  that  one  can  really  come  to  know  the  Venice  of 
to-day,  and  nothing  so  plainly  shows  the  spirit  of  a  people 


88  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

as  to  see  them  at  their  play ;  and  when,  as  in  the  case  of 
these  contrada  feste,  these  working  classes  are  quite  by 
themselves,  it  is  a  tribute  to  their  government  and  to 
their  own  natures  to  find  them  light-hearted  and  merry, 
easily  amused,  and  contented  in  the  quiet  round  of  their 
every-day  life. 

GOOD   FRIDAY. 

This  fast  to  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world  in  Venice 
assumes  the  air  of  a  feast.  The  people  are  all  in  holiday 
attire,  and  the  children  in  crowds  are  romping  and  roll- 
ing, shaking  their  rattles  to  scare  away  Judas,  turning 
somersaults  and  frolicking  generally.  And  this  day, 
more  than  any  festival,  affords  delight  to  children,  who 
have  a  custom  of  fitting  up  a  Holy  Sepulchre  (Santo 
Sepolcro),  and  appealing  for  coppers  to  all  passers-by. 
They  take  the  idea,  naturally  enough,  from  the  Holy 
Sepulchres  they  see  in  all  the  churches ;  but  the  surpris- 
ing thing  is  the  readiness  with  which  they  improvise  the 
Santo  Sepolcro  out  of  nothing,  and  then  the  ease  with 
which  they  obtain  the  little  coins.  A  small  box,  a  bit  of 
green,  some  candle-ends,  and  all  is  done ;  and  if  the  child 
be  sweet- voiced  and  winning,  her  Good  Friday  success  is 
assured. 

But  at  evening,  in  the  most  populous  quarters,  and 
those  least  invaded  by  strangers,  the  most  unusual  Good 
Friday  custom  is  seen.  The  people  of  the  quarter  con- 
duct a  unique  service  of  song,  quite  independent  of  the 
Church  and  at  their  own  cost.  They  agree  to  sing  the 
Passion  of  Our  Lord,  for  which  they  use  a  chant  with 
twenty -four  verses.  The  necessary  means  are  furnished 
by  subscriptions  of  money,  oil,  wine,  or  anything  that 
may  be  used  in  the  celebration. 

At  one  end  of  the  calle  a  shrine  is  erected  representing 
a  temple,  each  part  of  which  —  pillars,  pediment,  and  so 


MODERN  PROCESSIONS  AND  FESTIVALS.  89 

on  —  is  outlined  by  small  lamps ;  while  in  the  centre  of 
the  shrine  there  is  a  gas-jet  with  its  paler  light.  A  crowd 
gathers  before  the  little  temple  waiting  for  the  music  to 
begin,  while  every  window  within  hearing  distance  is 
open  and  filled  with  listeners,  who  meantime  gossip  with 
the  people  in  the  street.  Somewhere  in  the  calle  there  is 
sure  to  be  a  Madonna  and  Infant  Jesus,  who  have  on  this 
day  been  carefully  cleaned  and  trimmed  with  wreaths  of 
flowers,  long  sprays  of  graceful  vines,  and  bits  of  ribbon. 

When  the  leader  of  the  singers  begins  the  chant,  all 
other  sounds  are  hushed.  Even  the  children  know  that 
they  must  now  be  quiet.  The  key-note  being  thus  given, 
other  voices  join  in ;  and  each  verse  requires  about  three 
minutes  for  its  rendering,  and  between  the  verses  there  is 
a  pause  of  five  or  six  minutes,  when  the  chatter  of  the  men 
and  women  and  the  pranks  of  the  children  are  resumed, 
until  again  cut  short  by  the  voice  of  the  leader.  This  is 
repeated  until  the  twenty-four  verses  of  sombre  chant  are 
sung  in  a  manner  much  resembling  ordinary  psalm-sing- 
ing elsewhere. 

The  music  over,  the  evening  ends,  as  do  all  Venetian 
celebrations,  with  a  supper  at  the  nearest  wine-shop. 
This  singular  observance  of  a  day  so  sadly  solemn  else- 
where makes  a  curious  impression  at  first  on  strangers 
who  witness  it,  and  is  perhaps  the  most  characteristic  of 
all  the  public  customs  that  one  can  observe  in  Venice. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

GRADENIGO,    TIEPOLO,    AND   THE   COUNCIL   OP   TEN. 

ANEW  era  was  inaugurated  in  Venice  by  the  fall  of 
Constantinople.  Prosperous  and  powerful  as  the 
Republic  had  previously  been,  it  now  sprang,  as  if  by 
magic,  into  a  position  of  which  her  most  ambitious  and 
far-seeing  statesmen  could  not  have  dreamed. 

A  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  had  elapsed 
since  the  visit  of  Pope  Alexander,  at  which  time  sixty- 
five  thousand  was  the  highest  estimate  that  could  be  made 
of  her  population;  now,  at  the  end  of  the  Fourth  Crusade, 
her  nominal  sovereignty  embraced  millions  of  souls,  and 
the  actual  numbers  within  the  borders  of  the  Republic 
itself  had  vastly  increased.  The  new  territory  and  the 
various  rights  and  privileges  which  she  had  acquired  in 
the  Lower  Empire  had  largely  increased  her  commerce 
and  the  sources  of  her  wealth,  and  she  hastened  to  make 
all  these  advantages  permanent  by  a  liberal  and  wise  sys- 
tem of  colonization. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century  the  Venetian 
nobility  was  the  most  powerful  and  opulent  class  in  the 
world,  as  well  as  the  most  polished  and  enlightened,  and 
were  everywhere  held  in  the  highest  consideration  as  men, 
soldiers,  and  diplomats.  In  the  history  of  the  Republic 
one  fact  stands  forth  prominently,  — the  devotion  of  Vene- 
tians to  Venice,  —  devotion  to  the  Republic,  and  to  her 
elevation  to  the  highest  ideal  of  which  they  could  conceive. 
To  this  end  her  sons  directed  all  their  powers,  and  were 
willing  to  sink  their  personality  in  her  aggrandizement. 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.       91 

Not  in  a  spirit  of  humility,  for  never  a  prouder  race 
existed;  but  it  was  the  pride  of  patriotism  which  moved 
them,  —  pride  if  by  any  act  they  could  add  to  the  stature  of 
the  Republic.  Not  in  any  spirit  of  sacrifice,  for  they  felt 
it  no  hardship  to  spend  and  be  spent  if  only  the  name  of 
Venice  could  thereby  be  made  more  resonant  wherever  it 
was  spoken.  Venetians  were  united  in  one  aim,  —  that 
Venice  should  be  the  most  beautiful  and  most  powerful 
of  cities.  And  so  it  happens  that  in  the  voluminous 
records  of  her  history  and  life,  while  they  give  a  vivid 
realization  of  the  thought,  energy,  and  power  which  thou- 
sands of  her  sons  must  have  possessed  and  must  have 
dedicated  to  her  glory ;  while  as  one  reads  he  may  almost 
hear  the  hum  of  her  busy  life  and  feel  the  throbbing  of 
her  pulses,  little  prominence  is  given  to  individuals.  It 
is  not  of  men  nor  of  family  that  we  read ;  it  is  of  Venice, 
first,  last,  and  always. 

Often  as  the  names  of  Contarini,  Michieli,  Ziani,  Dan- 
dolo,  and  Tiepolo  appear,  no  one  family  ever  held  absolute 
power,  or  was  independent  of  the  others.  Was  this  the 
result  of  their  jealousy  of  one  another?  Perhaps;  and  it 
answered  a  great  end.  Never  was  Venice  at  the  mercy  of  a 
race  like  the  Medici  or  Visconti ;  and  when  the  great  ambi- 
tion of  her  sons  was  turned  from  personal  exaltation  and 
centred  in  the  good  of  the  State,  it  became  an  overmastering 
passion,  and  could  but  produce  glorious  results.  Ten  times 
it  happened  that  the  Republic  was  on  the  verge  of  ruin ; 
and  as  many  times  did  its  leaders  in  Council,  Senate,  and 
College,  together  with  the  Doge,  stake  all  they  possessed 
for  the  preservation  of  Venice,  and  always  with  success. 

The  wisdom  of  its  laws  conduced  to  bring  about  this 
state  of  things ;  for  every  boy  of  the  noble  class  knew  that 
at  twenty  years  of  age  he  must  appear  before  the  proper 
magistrate  and  claim  admission  to  the  Great  Council,  he 
being  the  legitimate  son  of  one  whose  name  was  in  the 


92  THE   QUEEN   OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Libro  d'  Oro.  From  that  day,  if  he  had  ability,  he  must 
be  a  servant  of  Venice.  He  could  follow  no  personal 
tastes  in  studies  or  pursuits.  A  refusal  to  accept  appoint- 
ments was  subject  to  so  heavy  a  fine  as  to  occur  but  rarely. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-five,  the  beginning  of  manhood,  he 
must  enter  the  Great  Council,  serve  on  laborious  commit- 
tees, go  thence  to  the  Senate,  and  be  elected  or  appointed 
to  one  position  after  another  that  demanded  all  his  power 
of  service.  Sometimes  he  must  fill  several  offices  at 
once,  and  to  the  last  day  of  life  he  can  give  himself  no 
repose  if  the  State  finds  his  service  valuable.  No  matter 
how  old  he  is,  nor  how  feeble,  if  Venice  chooses  him  for 
her  Doge,  he  must  assume  the  beretta,  the  mantle  of  gold 
and  ermine,  and  bear  them  as  well  as  he  can  until  the  end 
of  life  brings  his  release. 

Thus,  by  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century  the  Vene- 
tians were  held  in  the  highest  consideration  throughout 
the  civilized  world,  and  still  their  reputation  was  increas- 
ing. The  voice  of  Venice  was  powerful  in  every  cabinet ; 
her  flag  was  respected  on  every  sea ;  and,  in  fact,  from  the 
Great  Council  of  Venice  magistrates  were  chosen  to  rule 
in  other  parts  of  Italy  where  the  native  governing  class 
was  violent  in  its  jealousies.  To  Milan,  Bologna,  Padua, 
and  other  important  cities  had  these  Venetians  been  called, 
and  wherever  they  ruled  the  influence  of  Venice  was  potent. 
The  intimate  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  other  provinces 
and  cities  which  these  Venetian  governors  gained  was 
shared  with  the  home  government,  and  many  advantages 
accrued  from  it. 

The  thirteenth  century  was  an  intermediate  period,  so 
to  speak;  for  it  followed  the  tremendous  efforts  with 
which  the  twelfth  century  closed  and  preceded  the  period 
when  Venice  reached  its  greatest  glory  and  prosperity.  It 
was  largely  spent  in  adjusting  the  Republic  to  the  new 
conditions  consequent  upon  its  greatly  enlarged  territory, 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.      93 

and  in  changes  of  matters  of  internal  policy.  There  were 
struggles  in  its  colonies,  struggles  with  Genoa  and  with 
the  Papal  See,  as  well  as  insurrections  and  serious  party 
differences  at  home. 

A  large  anti-patrician  party  had  arisen,  and  an  effort 
was  made  to  return  to  the  old  method  of  electing  the  Doge 
by  acclamation.  So  bitter  were  the  troubles  with  Rome 
that  the  Republic  was  laid  under  an  interdict,  and  all  the 
offices  of  religion  strictly  forbidden ;  and  had  not  Martin 
IV.  died  suddenly  in  1286,  Venice  must  have  suffered 
unspeakably  from  his  severity.  But  the  advent  of  a  new 
Pope  gave  an  opportunity  for  a  reconciliation,  and  it  is 
believed  that  the  principal  condition  of  the  peace  made 
with  Rome  in  1289  was  the  establishment  of  the  Inqui- 
sition in  Venice.  This  was  the  last  act  approved  by 
Giovanni  Dandolo.  Prior  to  this  date  there  had  been 
trials  of  heretics  from  time  to  time,  but  no  permanent 
institution  had  existed.  Indeed,  the  Republic  had  stood 
out  against  the  wishes  and  commands  of  ten  Pontiffs,  and 
even  now  such  restrictions  were  placed  upon  the  Holy 
Office  as  disarmed  it  of  much  of  its  power  and  danger. 

Two  months  later,  in  November,  1289,  Giovanni  Dandolo 
died,  and  the  time  and  occasion  had  come  when  the 
Democracy  had  determined  to  assert  themselves.  They 
congregated  in  large  numbers  in  the  Piazza  of  San  Marco, 
and  declared  Giacomo  Tiepolo  to  be  elected  Doge  by 
acclamation.  Two  centuries  before,  this  sort  of  revolu- 
tion had  been  successful,  but  a  different  order  of  things 
now  existed. 

Tiepolo  was  a  sincere  democrat;  he  was  a  wise  and 
good  man,  one  of  those  whose  love  of  Venice  far  exceeded 
his  love  of  self.  He  knew  that  his  party  could  not  suc- 
ceed, and  that  such  an  attempt  to  overcome  established 
customs  could  only  end  in  the  gravest  consequences; 
accordingly  he  hastened  to  withdraw  from  the  contest,  and 


94  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

retired  to  Villa  Marocco  to  await  the  result  of  the  election. 
His  party,  thus  abandoned,  seemed  to  disappear  from  the 
stage;  but  the  tumult  had  proved  to  those  in  power  that 
still  firmer  ground  must  be  taken  to  secure  the  ascendancy 
of  the  aristocracy.  To  further  this  end,  Pietro  Gradenigo 
(contemptuously  called  Perazzo)  was  elected  Doge  in  the 
usual  manner. 

Gradenigo  was  not  a  popular  man,  as  the  corruption  of 
his  name  shows,  for  Perazzo  was  not  a  complimentary 
title,  and  he  was  known  as  a  firm  supporter  of  the  patri- 
cian party.  Many  remonstrances  against  his  election 
were  made  by  the  opposition ;  but  the  democrats  were  not 
organized,  they  had  no  reliable  leaders  nor  any  settled 
plan,  and  the  firm  determination  of  the  aristocrats  carried 
things  with  a  high  hand. 

The  deputy  who  was  sent  to  announce  the  election  of 
Gradenigo  to  the  National  Assembly  pronounced  the 
formula,  "Pietro  Gradenigo  is  your  Doge,  if  it  please 
you, "  and  at  once  withdrew.  As  no  dissent  was  heard  by 
this  deputy,  the  election  was  considered  legal.  Gradenigo 
was  at  Capo  d'  Istria ;  and  a  squadron  of  honor,  carrying 
twelve  noblemen  as  his  escort,  was  sent  to  announce  his 
election  and  invite  his  return. 

And  now  commenced  a  reign  which  continued  twenty- 
two  years  (1289-1311),  during  which  time  the  most 
important  changes  were  made  in  the  government  of 
Venice ;  serious  wars  were  undertaken,  and  great  disasters 
encountered;  the  Republic  was  placed  under  the  ban  of 
the  Church;  grave  revolutions  occurred.  Indeed,  these 
years  seem  not  to  have  had  a  day  that  was  not  heavy  with 
important  results ;  and  yet,  as  we  now  review  them  after 
the  lapse  of  centuries,  we  know  that  the  effect  of  wars, 
insurrections,  interdict,  and  plague  combined,  did  not 
compare  in  importance  with  two  great  political  changes 
which  were  brought  about  under  Gradenigo's  leadership,  - 


GRADENIGO,   TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.     95 

the  closing  of  the  Great  Council  (Serrota  del  Consiglio 
Maggiore),  and  the  establishment  of  the  Council  of  Ten. 

Daniel  Barbaro  sums  up  the  character  of  Gradenigo 
thus :  — 

"He  was  a  person  of  infinite  astuteness  and  sagacity.  For 
the  vigor  of  his  understanding  and  the  soundness  of  his  judg- 
ment he  was  not  more  remarkable  than  for  his  constancy  of  pur- 
pose and  firmness  of  will.  In  the  prosecution  of  his  formed 
designs  his  energy  and  resolution  were  indomitable.  As  an 
orator,  his  delivery  was  fluent,  his  language  copious,  and  his 
manner  persuasive.  Toward  his  friends  and  partisans,  no  one 
was  more  urbane  in  deportment,  more  profuse  in  kindness,  more 
apparently  studious  to  please.  Toward  those  who  had  provoked 
his  enmity,  no  one  could  be  more  unforgiving  and  implacable. 
In  politics  he  was  a  dexterous  tactician  and  an  habitual  dissem- 
bler ;  and  he  at  all  times  evinced  a  backwardness  to  employ 
force,  until  intrigue  and  artifice  were  exhausted." 

There  is  little  doubt  that  Gradenigo  was  pledged  to 
fully  carry  out  the  policy  of  the  aristocrats.  By  a  certain 
management  they  had  been  essentially  in  power  for  a  long 
time,  but  occasionally  they  were  made  to  realize  the  dis- 
satisfaction of  the  people  and  their  claim  to  authority. 
The  time  was  favorable  for  the  politicians  to  perfect  and 
initiate  their  schemes,  almost  unnoticed  by  the  people, 
who  were  fully  occupied  with  the  Genoese  war,  which  gave 
them  much  anxiety  and  distracted  their  thoughts  from 
what  was  being  quietly  done  in  their  very  midst.  The 
intent  of  the  closing  of  the  Great  Council  was  to  exclude 
from  election  all  save  the  aristocrats ;  it  is  thus  explained 
by  Romanin :  — 

"The  citizens  were  divided  into  three  classes:  first,  those 
who  neither  in  their  own  persons  nor  through  their  ancestors 
had  ever  formed  part  of  the  Great  Council ;  second,  those  whose 
progenitors  had  been  members  of  it ;  third,  those  who  were 
themselves  members  of  the  Council,  both  they  and  their  fathers. 


96  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  first  were  called  new  men,  and  were  never  admitted  save 
by  special  grace  ;  the  second  class  were  included  from  time  to 
time;  finally,  the  third  were  elected  by  full  right." 

This  measure  was  not  perfected  without  much  diplo- 
macy extending  over  many  years,  —  indeed,  it  may  be  said 
to  have  been  initiated  in  1172,  — and  when  it  was  finally 
accomplished  Venice  was  ruled  by  an  oligarchy  beyond 
dispute,  and  for  all  time.  It  was  confirmed  in  the  statute- 
book  when  all  Venice  was  occupied  with  the  fitting  out  of 
the  great  fleet  to  be  commanded  by  the  A  dmiral  Andrea 
Dandolo.  The  Genoese  war  had  thus  far  been  uncertain 
in  its  results,  the  advantage  being  sometimes  on  one  side, 
and  again  on  the  other,  until  the  Venetians  were  thor- 
oughly aroused,  and  willing  to  contribute  money  and  men, 
and  to  do  everything  possible  to  put  an  end  to  this  vexa- 
tious conflict. 

Dandolo's  fleet  numbered  ninety -five  vessels,  and  carried 
more  than  thirty  thousand  fighting  men.  One  man-of-war 
was  fitted  out  and  commanded  by  Marco  Polo,  lately 
returned  from  travels  in  Tartary  and  other  countries  then 
rarely  visited.  So  rich  was  he  that  he  was  called  "  Messer 
Marco  Milioni ; "  and  but  for  his  engaging  in  this  war  our 
knowledge  of  him  to-day  might  have  been  confined  to  this 
title. 

The  fleet  sailed  from  Venice  early  in  September,  1298, 
and  proceeded  down  the  Adriatic  to  the  island  of  Curzola, 
where  Dandolo  learned  that  Lampa  Doria,  with  the 
Genoese  fleet,  was  approaching.  He  had  but  seventy- 
eight  ships,  many  of  them  being  much  larger  and  heavier 
than  those  of  the  Venetians.  Doria  had  hoped  to  reach 
Venice  before  Dandolo  sailed,  and  was  much  chagrined  to 
find  the  enemy's  squadron  stretched  across  the  gulf  in 
three  lines,  completely  barring  his  passage. 

Doria  was  so  impressed  by  the  superiority  of  the  Vene- 
tians, and  so  well  knew  their  indomitable  spirit,  that  he 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.     97 

at  once  gave  up  the  thought  of  a  battle,  and  sent  to  Dandolo 
to  arrange  terms  of  submission,  offering  to  give  up  all  his 
stores.  Dandolo  answered  that  the  only  terms  he  would 
accept  were  those  of  the  unconditional  surrender  of  the 
Genoese.  This  acted  like  a  tonic  on  the  courage  of  Doria 
and  his  men,  and  they  determined  to  fight.  Ten  Genoese 
galleys  were  placed  in  concealment  behind  the  island,  and 
the  remaining  sixty- eight  were  disposed  in  line  of  battle. 

Dandolo,  finding  that  he  was  so  placed  that  his  men 
must  fight  with  both  the  sun  and  wind  in  their  faces, 
began  to  doubt  the  wisdom  of  his  haughty  and  insolent 
reply,  and  decided  to  consult  the  civil  councillors  who  had 
been  sent  from  Venice  as  his  advisers.  Dandolo  did  not 
hesitate  from  fear,  but  from  common  prudence,  which 
recognized  the  disadvantages  he  must  encounter.  But  the 
civilians  in  their  ignorance  and  arrogance  urged  him  to 
fight,  and  he  at  once  proceeded  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
overcome  his  unfortunate  position. 

The  action  took  place  on  Sunday,  September  8;  and 
in  the  very  beginning  the  Venetians  crashed  down  on 
the  Genoese,  and  ten  of  their  vessels  were  sunk  with  every 
soul  on  board.  The  sea  was  strewn  with  the  de'bris  of 
these  ships,  and  for  some  hours  it  seemed  that  victory 
still,  as  ever,  attended  the  Venetians.  As  the  ships  met, 
the  Venetians  did  not  hesitate  to  board  those  of  the 
enemy,  who,  knowing  their  fate  if  captured  by  the  men  of 
the  Republic,  fought  like  wild  beasts  in  despair.  Wounded 
men  were  hurled  into  the  sea ;  many  were  crushed  between 
the  ships ;  the  vessels  of  the  two  admirals  were  in  conflict 
for  hours,  and  the  Venetians  had  almost  won  the  day, 
when  suddenly  the  wind  changed,  and  several  Venetian 
galleys  were  driven  on  the  coast  and  completely  wrecked. 

Now  all  was  changed ;  vainly  did  Dandolo  exert  every 
power  to  encourage  his  men  and  restore  order;  vainly  did 
Quirini,  Marco  Polo,  and  other  brave  men  expose  their 

7 


98  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

lives  with  patriotic  devotion;  vainly  did  the  men  of  Zara 
and  Chioggia  perform  feats  of  valor ;  twelve  captains  were 
seized  with  such  fear  that  they  took  to  flight,  and  thus 
led  to  irretrievable  defeat. 

Doria  quickly  perceived  his  advantage,  and  his  order  to 
advance  flew  all  along  his  line  like  lightning.  A  strug- 
gle followed  which  in  desperation  and  loss  of  life  has 
rarely  been  equalled,  never  surpassed.  The  conflict  seemed 
still  so  equal  that  neither  side  could  feel  the  confidence 
of  success,  when  suddenly  the  Genoese,  by  a  skilful  move- 
ment, forced  the  Venetian  centre,  their  reserve  came 
up,  and  the  rout  of  the  Venetians  was  complete.  The 
only  vessels  saved  were  the  twelve  which  ran  away; 
eighty-three  were  foundered  in  action  or  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  who  dismantled  and  burned  nearly 
all  of  them. 

Five  thousand  Venetians  were  prisoners  to  the  Genoese ; 
the  number  killed  was  not  known;  Dandolo  and  Marco 
Polo,  who  had  shown  the  most  impetuous  daring  and 
bravery,  were  taken  alive,  and  all  the  misgivings  with 
which  the  brave  admiral  had  opened  the  battle  were  more 
than  justified. 

"The  spectacle  which  presents  itself  at  Curzola  on  that  ter- 
rible 8th  of  September,  after  the  action,  can  be  pictured  more 
easily  than  described.  In  the  evening  the  followers  of  Doria 
are  seen  in  a  dreamy  and  trance-like  posture,  holding  with 
tremulous  hands  the  palm  which  they  have  so  dearly  won,  and 
thinking  of  the  reply  which  they  must  give  when,  on  their 
return,  mothers  ask  for  their  children,  and  children  for  their 
fathers,  who  have  lost  their  liberty  or  their  lives  on  that  too 
eventful  day.  Curzola  hears  no  shouts  of  victory,  no  songs  of 
triumph  ;  several  thousand  Genoese  have  felt  the  edge  of  Vene- 
tian steel ;  several  thousand  Venetians  see  before  their  dim  and 
feverish  vision  the  horror  and  ignominy  of  a  Genoese  dungeon  ; 
and  as  the  sun  goes  down  on  the  conquerors  and  the  conquered, 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.     99 

its  serene  effulgence  affords  a  striking  contrast  to  the  deep  lurid 
hue  which  has  been  imparted  to  the  sky  for  several  miles  around 
by  the  gradual  immersion  of  sixty  galleys  in  a  sea  of  belching 
fire." 

Even  the  Genoese  writers  speak  of  this  victory  as  for- 
tuitous ;  the  losses  of  the  combatants  were  nearly  equal, 
and  the  squadrons  were  well  matched,  as  the  superior 
number  of  the  Venetian  ships  was  fully  compensated  by 
the  size  and  strength  of  the  opposing  vessels;  and  even 
after  the  change  of  the  wind,  if  the  heroic  conduct  of 
Dandolo  and  his  chiefs,  of  the  Zaratines  and  Chioggians, 
had  not  been  neutralized  by  the  infamous  desertion  of 
twelve  ships,  the  victory  might  yet  have  been  with  the 
Lion  of  St.  Mark. 

"No  joy-bells  or  other  manifestations  of  popular  enthusiasm 
awaited  the  return  of  Doria  to  his  country.  Too  many  among 
the  multitude  which  thronged  the  quays  to  witness  the  landing 
of  the  troops  were  doomed  to  retrace  their  steps  to  a  bereaved 
home,  and  to  hearths  made  desolate  by  war  ;  and  in  the  extrem- 
ity of  their  affliction,  the  Genoese  were  almost  tempted  to  forget 
their  glory,  and  to  check  their  unbecoming  exultation  at  the 
abasement  of  Venetian  insolence  and  purse  pride. 

"But  there  was  one  who  was  expected  to  be  in  the  crowd  of 
Venetian  prisoners,  and  whom  the  Genoese  displayed  the  great- 
est eagerness  to  see  in  chains.  He  was  not  there.  Unable  to 
support  the  galling  thought  that  the  son  of  a  Doge  of  Venice 
was  about  to  grace  a  Genoese  triumph,  to  be  paraded  in  fetters 
before  a  Genoese  mob,  and  then  to  rot  in  a  Genoese  dungeon, 
the  brave  and  unfortunate  Dandolo  took  an  opportunity  of  dash- 
ing his  head  against  the  gunwale  of  the  vessel  which  was  con- 
veying him  to  his  new  destination,  and  thus  miserably  terminated 
his  existence." 

Marco  Polo  was  wounded  and  in  an  alarming  condition 
when  taken  to  prison;  but  so  much  admired  was  he,  and 
so  capable  of  fascinating  enemies  as  well  as  friends,  that 


100  THE   QUEEN   OF   THE   ADRIATIC. 

he  was  cared  for  in  such  a  way  as  to  insure  his  recovery, 
and  was  even  visited  by  Genoese  gentlemen.  All  who 
came  near  him  listened  to  his  stories  of  travels  and  adven- 
tures with  rapt  attention  and  delight;  and  especially  a 
fellow-prisoner,  a  Pisan,  Rusticiano,  who  had  been  a 
writer  in  his  day,  and  was  seized  with  a  desire  to  write 
out  all  the  wonderful  tales  which  Marco  repeated  again 
and  again.  Through  the  kindly  offices  of  a  Genoese  noble 
the  necessary  materials  were  furnished,  and  three  months 
were  devoted  to  writing,  in  curious  antique  French  sea- 
soned with  Italian  idioms,  the  tales  of  the  modern 
Herodotus.  We  can  imagine  the  supreme  felicity  with 
which  Rusticiano  began:  "Oh,  emperors  and  kings,  oh, 
dukes,  princes,  marquises,  barons,  and  cavaliers,  and  all 
who  delight  in  knowing  the  different  races  of  the  world 
and  the  variety  of  countries,  take  this  book  and  read 
it ! "  The  first  perfect  copy  was  presented  to  the  Republic 
of  Genoa.  The  length  of  Polo's  imprisonment  is  not 
positively  known ;  but  he  probably  returned  to  Venice  in 
1299,  just  when  the  "  Serrata  "  and  the  insurrections  con- 
vulsed the  city.  But  his  public  life  was  finished ;  and  his 
marriage,  the  making  of  his  will  in  1323,  and  such  per- 
sonal matters  are  the  only  records  of  his  remaining  life. 

The  Venetians  at  once  set  about  the  building  and  organi- 
zation of  a  new  fleet  of  one  hundred  galleys,  and  rose  from 
their  defeat  with  an  energy  and  spirit  that  astonished  the 
world.  They  bought  artillery  in  Spain,  and  built  vessels 
with  such  rapidity  that  the  Genoese  were  undoubtedly 
influenced  to  make  their  peace  with  Venice  by  the  convic- 
tion that  she  would  be  ready  again  to  attack  much  sooner 
than  they  to  repel.  At  all  events,  within  a  few  months, 
these  rivals  concluded  a  perpetual  peace  with  all  possible 
pledges  of  friendship  and  mutual  respect. 

The  Venetians  now  gradually  turned  their  attention  to 
what  the  Doge  and  his  creatures  had  accomplished  while 


GRADENIGO,   TIEPOLO,   AND  THE   COUNCIL  OF  TEN.    101 

all  eyes  had  been  directed  elsewhere;  and  great  excite- 
ment and  discontent  were  soon  manifested.  The  populace 
had  seemed  childish  and  almost  worse  than  that  in  the 
simple  and  unreasoning  way  in  which  they  had  cherished 
the  fallacy  that  they  retained  any  political  power  worthy 
of  the  name;  but  of  late,  in  certain  directions,  notably 
by  trying  to  elect  their  own  Doge,  they  had  evinced  an 
awakening  appreciation  of  the  facts,  and  a  determination 
to  re-establish  themselves. 

Naturally,  when  the  closing  of  the  Grand  Council  was 
understood  and  the  whole  drift  of  the  government  appre- 
hended, a  demonstration  was  made,  led  by  Marino  Bocconio, 
who  had  already  made  himself  prominent  by  his  emphatic 
opposition  to  the  election  of  Gradenigo.  Early  in  1300 
Bocconio,  with  some  of  his  followers,  demanded  admittance 
to  the  Great  Council,  in  order  to  protest  against  recent 
measures  of  the  government.  The  Doge  was  present  at 
the  Council  when  this  demand  was  made,  and  after  some 
hesitation  the  visitors  were  admitted.  What  occurred  has 
never  been  known;  but  the  next  day  Bocconio  and  ten 
others  were  tried  for  sedition,  condemned  to  death,  and 
immediately  hanged  between  the  columns  in  the  Piaz- 
zetta.  It  will  be  easily  understood  that  this  immediate 
and  extreme  punishment  of  malcontents  brought  peace  to 
Venice,  in  seeming  at  least. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  one  peculiar  element  in  the 
policy  of  Gradenigo.  By  the  changes  in  the  Great  Council 
the  power  of  the  Doge  had  been  greatly  lessened,  and  "  The 
Forty,"  or  the  "Quarantia,"  was  now  the  supreme  power 
in  the  Republic.  Gradenigo  had  thus  strengthened  the 
aristocrats  to  the  prejudice  of  his  own  authority.  Various 
reasons  have  been  given  for  his  course  in  this  matter,  the 
most  reasonable  one  being  that  he  thus  redeemed  his 
pledge  to  advance  the  policy  of  the  aristocrats  to  the 
extent  of  his  power. 


102  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

During  the  preceding  half-century  the  power  of  the 
Doge  had  been  merely  nominal ;  he  was  now  simply  the 
instrument  of  the  officials  about  him.  At  the  same  time 
his  pomp  and  circumstance  had  been  augmented  as  much 
as  his  real  power  had  declined,  and  the  public  occasions 
on  which  he  appeared  gradually  increased  in  magnificence. 
Martino  da  Canale  thus  describes  the  Easter  procession 
which  could  not  have  occurred  later  than  1268,  as  the 
Doge  Renier  Zeno  died  that  year :  — 

"On  Easter  Day,  then,  the  Doge  descends  from  his  palace  ; 
before  him  go  eight  men  bearing  eight  silken  banners  blazoned 
with  the  image  of  St.  Mark,  and  on  each  staff  are  the  eagles  of 
the  Empire.  After  the  standards  come  two  lads  who  carry,  one 
the  faldstool,  the  other  the  cushion  of  the  Doge  ;  then  six  trum- 
peters, who  blow  through  silver  trumpets,  followed  by  two  with 
cymbals,  also  of  silver.  Comes  next  a  clerk,  wbo  holds  a  great 
cross  all  beautiful  with  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  ;  a  second 
clerk  carries  tbe  Gospels,  and  a  third  a  silver  censer;  and  all 
three  are  dressed  in  damask  of  gold.  Then  follow  the  twenty- 
two  canons  of  St.  Mark  in  their  robes,  chanting.  Behind  tbe 
canons  walks  Monsignor  tbe  Doge,  under  tbe  umbrella  which 
Monsignor  tbe  Apostle  (the  Pope)  gave  him, — the  umbrella  is 
of  cloth  of  gold,  and  a  lad  bears  it  in  his  bands.  By  tbe  Doge's 
side  is  the  Primiciero  of  St.  Mark's,  wbo  wears  a  bisbop's  mitre; 
on  his  other  side,  the  priest  who  shall  cbant  the  Mass.  Mon- 
signor tbe  Doge  wears  a  crown  of  gold  and  precious  stones,  and 
is  draped  in  cloth  of  gold.  Hard  by  tbe  Doge  walks  a  gentle- 
man wbo  bears  a  sword  of  exquisite  workmanship  ;  then  follow 
the  gentlemen  of  Venice.  In  such  order  Monsignor  tbe  Doge 
comes  into  the  Piazza  of  St.  Mark,  which  is  a  stone-throw  long; 
he  walks  as  far  as  the  church  of  San  Gimignano,  and  returns 
thence  in  the  same  order.  The  Doge  bears  a  white  wax  candle 
in  his  hands.  They  halt  in  the  middle  of  the  Piazza,  and  three 
of  the  ducal  chaplains  advance  before  the  Doge,  and  chant  to 
him  the  beautiful  versicles  and  responses.  Then  all  enter  tbe 
Church  of  St.  Mark  ;  three  chaplains  move  forward  to  tbe  altar- 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.   103 

rai,ls,  and  say  in  a  loud  voice,  'Let  Christ  be  victorious,  let 
Christ  rule,  let  Christ  reign ;  to  our  lord  Renier  Zeno,  by  the 
grace  of  God  illustrious  Doge  of  Venice,  Dalmatia,  and  Croatia, 
conqueror  of  a  fourth  part  and  of  half  a  fourth  part  of  all  the 
Roman  Empire,  salvation,  honor,  life,  and  victory;  let  Christ 
be  victorious,  let  Christ  rule,  let  Christ  reign.'  Then  the  three 
chaplains  say,  'Holy  Mary,'  and  all  respond,  'Help  thou  Him.' 
The  Primiciero  removes  his  mitre,  and  begins  the  Mass.  Then 
the  Doge  shows  himself  to  the  people  from  the  loggia,  and  after- 
wards enters  his  palace,  where  he  finds  the  table  spread ;  he 
dines  there,  and  with  him  all  the  chaplains  of  St.  Mark." 

The  coronation  of  the  Doge  had  also  come  to  be  a  mag- 
nificent fete. 

The  day  was  a  general  holiday,  the  streets  were  fes- 
tooned with  garlands,  richly  emblazoned  banners  floated 
from  the  windows,  draperies  were  suspended  from  the 
balconies,  and  all  the  beauty  of  Venice  gathered  in  case- 
ments and  verandas  to  see  the  processions  as  they  passed. 

We  have  a  description  of  the  Coronation  of  Lorenzo 
Tiepolo  the  successor  of  Renier  Zeno,  in  1268,  which  is 
a  type  of  these  ceremonies.  The  newly  elected  Doge  was 
escorted  to  San  Marco  by  a  solemn  deputation,  and  at  the 
door  was  met  by  the  Vice-Doge  and  the  clergy  of  the 
Ducal  Chapel.  At  the  high  altar  he  took  his  oath  of 
office,  and  received  the  standard  of  the  Republic.  He  was 
then  led  to  the  throne,  and  invested  with  the  mantle  and 
other  insignia  of  office,  the  youngest  senators  encircling 
his  brow  with  the  ducal  beretta.  All  this  was  witnessed 
by  a  vast  concourse  of  people,  who  were  enthusiastic  in 
their  reception  of  the  new  Duke. 

The  chaplains  of  San  Marco  then  conducted  the  Doga- 
ressa  to  the  Ducal  Palace,  where,  amid  great  pomp  and 
rejoicing,  she  was  seated  on  the  throne  beside  her  husband. 

The  coronation  was  followed  by  splendid  festivities. 
A  water  fete  was  held ;  and  a  squadron  of  galleys,  gaylj 


104  THE   Ql'KKX   OF   THE   ADRIATIC. 

and  fancifully  dressed  with  pennants,  passed  close  along 
the  canal  in  front  of  the  palace,  while  choristers  on  board 
chanted  verses  in  praise  of  the  Doge  and  Dogaressa  whicli 
were  written  for  the  occasion. 

The  procession  of  trades  was  an  imposing  feature  of 
this  festival.  It  was  led  by  the  smiths,  who,  wearing 
crowns  and  chaplets  of  flowers,  carried  banners  and 
inarched  to  the  sound  of  musical  instruments;  the  fur- 
riers followed,  arrayed  in  ermine  and  minnever;  and  then 
came  the  skinners  in  taffeta  robes,  displaying  their 
choicest  manufactures ;  these  were  succeeded  by  the  tan- 
ners, iron-masters,  barbers,  hosiers,  drapers,  cotton- 
spinners,  gold-cloth  workers  dressed  in  their  precious 
products,  the  weavers  and  tailors  attired  in  sumptuous 
white  costumes  with  rich,  fur-trimmed  mantles.  The 
dress  of  the  mercers,  glass-blowers,  fishmongers,  butchers, 
and  victuallers  was  equally  costly,  some  being  red  and 
others  yellow.  Each  corporation  wore  a  badge  or  token 
of  their  calling,  and  the  drapers  carried  olive  branches  in 
their  hands. 

The  four  deputies  of  the  barbers  were  disguised  as 
knights  errant,  two  being  mounted  on  richly  caparisoned 
horses,  while  the  other  two  walked  beside  them;  they 
were  accompanied  by  four  damsels,  fantastically  dressed, 
whom  they  claimed  to  have  rescued  from  deadly  peril. 
When  they  were  near  the  platform  of  the  Doge,  they 
halted  and  made  a  speech  claiming  to  have  come  from 
some  far  country  seeking  their  fortunes,  and  offering  to 
defend  the  maidens  against  any  others  who  might  claim 
them.  The  Doge  made  a  reply  of  welcome,  and  assured 
them  of  their  safety  under  his  protection;  they  then 
shouted,  "Long  live  our  Prince,  the  noble  Doge  of 
Venice ! "  and  moved  on. 

Then  ten  master-tailors  changed  their  dresses,  and 
donned  white  suits  sprinkled  with  vermilion  stars,  and 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE   COUNCIL  OF  TEN.     105 

traversed  the  city  singing  the  popular  songs  of  the  day ; 
each  one  carried  a  goblet  of  malmsey  and  occasionally 
sipped  it.  This  was  extremely  Venetian ;  and  we  can  but 
wonder  if  the  tunes  these  tailors  sung  are  not  the  same 
that  have  descended  through  many  generations  to  the 
gondoliers  of  our  own  day. 

There  were  also  games  in  which  buffoons  played  the 
principal  parts,  and  men  carrying  cages  of  birds  many  of 
which  were  liberated  when  they  came  near  the  court; 
this  was  greeted  with  hearty  approbation,  and  the  whole 
scene  was  as  merry  as  possible.  We  are  sorry  to  add  that 
then,  as  now  on  like  occasions,  there  were  many  light- 
fingered  ones  among  the  crowd  who  filled  their  pockets  at 
the  expense  of  honest  folk. 

All  these  entertainments  closed  with  an  industrial 
exhibition  in  the  palace  in  compliment  to  the  Dogaressa, 
who,  as  she  passed  through  the  apartments,  was  presented 
with  gifts  which  she  graciously  received ;  and  thus  auspi- 
ciously was  the  reign  of  the  new  Doge  inaugurated. 

This  flattered  his  vanity ;  and  when  he  was  borne  about 
the  Piazza,  scattering  gold  as  he  went,  he  may  have  been 
elated  and  imagined  himself  of  great  consequence.  Every 
four  years  the  citizens  swore  allegiance  to  him,  his  person 
was  declared  sacred,  and  he  never  left  the  palace  without 
an  attendant  train  of  nobles  and  citizens.  On  the  other 
hand,  his  oath  now  obliged  him  to  execute  the  orders  of 
the  various  councils  implicitly.  He  was  not  permitted  to 
exhibit  his  portrait,  bust,  or  coat-of-arms  outside  the 
Ducal  Palace ;  he  could  not  announce  his  election  to  any 
court  save  that  of  Rome ;  no  one  could  kiss  his  hand,  or 
kneel  to  him,  or  make  him  gifts,  —  in  short,  no  homage 
must  be  personal  to  the  Doge ;  it  must  be  rendered  to  the 
aristocracy  who  had  made  him  Doge,  and  who  were  the 
State.  No  member  of  the  Doge's  family  could  hold  govern- 
ment appointments  in  any  part  of  the  Venetian  territory ; 


106  THE   QUEEN   OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

and  his  sons,  who  had  formerly  been  associated  with  him 
in  office,  could  now  be  elected  to  the  Great  Council  and 
Senate  only,  and  in  the  latter  had  no  vote. 

To  make  the  power  behind  the  throne  more  absolute,  it 
was  finally  decreed  that  no  one  elected  to  the  ducal  office 
could  refuse  to  serve,  neither  could  he  resign  nor  leave 
Venice.  Thus  the  Ducal  Palace  became  a  prison,  and 
the  Doge  the  only  man  in  Venice  who  absolutely  could 
have  no  will  of  his  own. 

The  quiet  that  followed  the  execution  of  Bocconio  was 
a  quiet  full  of  storms.  The  discontents  were  not  yet 
ready,  and  had  no  leader  to  inaugurate  a  revolution. 
Meantime  the  foreign  policy  of  Gradenigo  was  making 
him  the  best-hated  man  imaginable.  He  had  involved 
the  Republic  in  a  most  disastrous  war  with  Ferrara,  in 
consequence  of  which  the  Pope  had  pronounced  the  sen- 
tence of  excommunication  against  the  whole  Republic  of 
Venice.  It  is  difficult  in  our  day  to  appreciate  the  full 
meaning  of  this. 

Not  only  the  inhabitants  of  the  Republic,  but  all  who 
aided  them  in  any  way,  were  placed  outside  the  pale  of  the 
Church;  their  property,  wherever  found,  was  declared 
sequestrated ;  their  treaties  were  null ;  it  was  made  unlaw- 
ful to  trade  or  eat  or  converse  with  them ;  every  one  was 
at  liberty  to  take  them  and  sell  them  into  slavery;  all 
sacraments  were  refused  them;  even  the  rites  of  burial 
were  denied,  and  the  clergy  left  Venice.  A  new  Crusade 
was  published,  and  papal  indulgence  given  to  all  attacks 
upon  Venetians  or  their  property.  In  several  parts  of 
Italy  Venetians  were  put  to  death;  and  at  Genoa  many 
of  the  prisoners  of  Curzola  were  sold  as  slaves. 

"In  England,  in  France,  in  Italy,  in  the  East,  the  merchants 
were  robbed.  From  Southampton  to  Pera  the  Venetian  counting- 
houses,  banks,  and  factories  were  forced,  sacked,  and  destroyed. 
The  commerce  of  Venice  trembled  on  the  verge  of  extinction  ; 


. 


• 
Bridge  of  the  Rinlto. 


GBADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.    107 

and  all  these  evils  were  laid  at  the  door  of  the  Doge  and  the  new 
aristocracy.  But  the  party  in  power  never  wavered  ;  their  deter- 
mination was  the  result  and  the  proof  of  their  youth,  their  con- 
fidence, their  real  capacity  for  governing.  Though  they  were 
surrounded  by  a  people  suffering  intensely  from  physical  and 
spiritual  want,  as  well  as  by  a  nobility  who  openly  declared  their 
hatred  of  the  new  policy  and  of  its  authors,  yet  they  never  devi- 
ated for  a  single  moment  from  the  predetermined  line.  Every- 
thing was  done  to  win  the  regard  and  support  of  the  people.  The 
Doge  instituted  a  yearly  banquet  to  the  poor,  and  the  picturesque 
ceremony  of  washing  and  kissing  twelve  fishermen  from  the 
lagoons." 

At  the  same  time  everything  possible  was  done  to  hum- 
ble and  insult  the  opposing  party.  The  noble  Marco 
Quirini  was  refused  a  seat  in  the  Privy  Council,  and  his 
place  given  to  a  Dalmatian,  who,  according  to  the  statute, 
was  not  eligible  to  this  Council.  It  was  attempted  to 
strictly  enforce  the  law  against  carrying  arms  in  the 
street,  which  occasioned  grave  troubles.  A  watchman, 
called  a  "Signior  of  the  Night,"  met  Pietro  Quirini  in 
the  Piazza  one  evening,  and  insisted  on  examining  him ; 
Quirini  knocked  the  man  down,  and  was  heavily  fined. 

Meetings  of  the  Opposition  were  held  at  the  house  of 
Marco  Quirini,  near  the  Rialto,  and  an  organization  was 
made.  They  determined  to  make  Bajamonte  Tiepolo  their 
leader;  he  was  a  son-in-law  of  Quirini,  and  was  greatly 
beloved  by  the  people,  who  called  him  il  gran  Cavaliero. 
He  had  inherited  all  the  popularity  of  his  father,  the 
Tiepolo  who  had  been  elected  Doge  by  acclamation. 
Quirini  had  been  the  head  of  the  Opposition.  He  was  of 
exalted  rank  and  personal  character;  and  his  relation  to 
Bajamonte  Tiepolo  had  increased  his  consideration  by  the 
union  of  two  great  families,  so  that  he  was  now  the  most 
influential  man  in  the  Great  Council.  He  had  been  sent 
as  Podesta  to  Ferrara,  doubtless  in  the  hope  that  he  would 


108  THE   QUEEN   OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

never  return;  but  he  escaped  pestilence  and  all  other 
dangers,  and  was  at  home  in  time  to  engage  in  the  insur- 
rection with  all  his  heart. 

Bajamonte  had  been  for  several  years  at  his  Villa 
Marocco  in  the  March  of  Treviso ;  but  when,  in  1310,  his 
brother  nobles  invited  his  return,  he  readily  assented, 
and  his  arrival  in  Venice  was  the  signal  for  greater 
excitement  and  determination.  He  urged  immediate 
action;  and  so  many  of  his  party  agreed  with  him  that 
the  more  cautious  counsel  of  their  elders  was  set  aside, 
and  on  June  14,  ten  years  after  the  execution  of  Bocconio, 
the  fires  of  revolution  were  again  kindled  in  Venice. 

It  was  arranged  that  the  conspirators  should  gather  at 
night  in  the  house  of  Quirini,  and  with  the  dawn  rush  to 
the  Piazza,  gain  possession  of  the  centre  of  the  city,  and 
kill  Gradenigo.  The  night  was  terrific;  thunder  and 
lightning,  and  torrents  of  rain  raised  a  tempest  in  which 
the  cries  "Death  to  the  Doge!"  and  "Freedom  to  the 
People ! "  could  not  be  heard ;  and  under  the  cover  of  this 
terrible  storm  the  insurrectionists  went  forth.  One  divi- 
sion, under  Bajamonte,  proceeded  by  the  Calle  of  the 
Merceria;  a  second,  under  Quirini,  took  the  nearer  way  by 
the  bridge  of  Malpasso  (now  di  Dai)  and  the  Fondamenta; 
and  all  were  to  meet  in  the  Piazza, 

Up  to  this  time  the  meetings  of  the  revolutionists  had 
escaped  observation;  but  now  a  traitor,  Marco  Donato, 
gave  such  information  to  Gradenigo  as  led  him  to  send 
three  officers  to  ascertain  the  truth.  At  the  Rialto  they 
were  met  by  drawn  swords,  and  fled  for  their  lives.  The 
Doge  at  once  apprehended  the  situation,  and  sent  to  the 
governors  of  the  neighboring  islands  for  a  speedy  supply 
of  troops.  He  arranged  his  soldiers  with  great  care,  by 
the  aid  of  the  flashes  of  lightning ;  posted  guards  at  every 
entrance  to  the  Piazza;  the  main  body  being  massed  in 
the  centre,  awaiting  the  rebels  in  silence.  No  more  dra- 
matic scene  is  described  in  history. 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.    109 

The  conspirators  had  believed  that  their  marching 
would  be  the  signal  for  a  rising  of  the  people ;  but  they 
were  disappointed,  and  each  advancing  step  proved  that 
they  had  no  sympathy  from  the  masses. 

Quirini  reached  the  Piazza  first ;  and  as  he  entered  the 
square,  the  soldiers  charged  on  him  with  the  cry  of 
"Traitors!  kill  them,  kill  them!"  Quirini  and  his  two 
sons  were  cut  down  at  once,  it  is  said  by  the  hand  of 
Giustiniani  himself,  and  seeing  their  leader  killed,  his 
followers  fled  wildly.  When  Bajamonte  reached  the 
Piazza,  he  was  received  in  like  manner;  his  standard, 
inscribed  LIBERTX,  was  struck  to  the  ground,  the  bearer 
being  killed  by  a  heavy  flower-pot  thrown  from  a  window 
above  him  by  a  woman.  This  was  the  signal  for  a  panic ; 
and  Bajamonte,  with  his  men,  turned  to  fly.  Here  and 
there  they  made  a  stand,  and  a  fight  ensued ;  they  burned 
the  customs  offices,  and  at  length  reached  the  Rialto.  This 
wooden  bridge  was  cut  down  behind  them ;  and  they  shut 
themselves  within  the  house  of  Quirini,  which  was  a 
fortress  and  defensible. 

Meantime  the  followers  of  Quirini  who  escaped  from 
the  Piazza  were  attacked  by  soldiers  in  the  Campo  San 
Luca,  and  cut  to  pieces.  The  only  hope  remaining  to  the 
insurgents  was  that  Badoer  might  arrive  from  Padua  with 
the  aid  he  had  been  sent  to  ask ;  but  he  was  cut  off  by 
the  Chioggians,  and  Bajamonte  had  no  reliance  save  him- 
self, his  few  followers,  and  the  strength  of  his  position. 

The  Doge  soon  sent  envoys  to  him,  offering  amnesty 
and  even  pardon,  should  the  rebels  submit ;  but  Bajamonte 
steadily  refused.  Gradenigo  knew  that  Tiepolo  could  not 
be  taken  in  his  present  quarters  without  a  great  loss  of 
men  and  property;  he  also  reflected  that  if  he  captured 
the  leader  he  must  either  permit  a  traitor  to  go  free,  or 
execute  the  most  popular  man  in  all  Venice.  For  these 
reasons  he  determined  to  use  all  possible  means  to  bring 


110  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

about  a  satisfactory  negotiation;  but  everything  proved 
ineffectual  until  an  old  man,  and  one  much  respected, 
Filippo  Belegno,  after  many  arguments  and  long  persua- 
sion, prevailed  on  Bajamonte  to  relent  and  accept  the 
terms  of  the  Doge,  which  he  had  at  first  believed  to  be 
but  a  snare  for  him  and  his  followers. 

By  these  terms  Bajamonte  and  all  the  insurgents  who 
had  a  right  to  a  seat  in  the  Council  were  banished  to 
Dalmatia  for  four  years ;  those  of  lower  rank  were  par- 
doned on  swearing  allegiance  to  the  Doge  and  the 
Constitution,  and  returning  all  the  goods  that  had  been 
taken  from  private  dwellings  or  government  stores.  The 
lives  of  any  of  the  exiles  detected  in  breaking  their  parole 
would  be  forfeited,  and  to  harbor  them  or  correspond 
with  them  was  made  treasonable.  Their  wives  and  fami- 
lies were  expelled  from  the  Dogado,  and  the  houses  of 
Bajamonte  and  of  the  Quirini  were  demolished ;  on  the 
site  of  the  first  a  Column  of  Infamy  was  raised,  and  the 
armorial  bearings  of  both  houses  were  changed. 

One  cannot  avoid  a  feeling  of  sympathy  for  Badoer  and 
others  who,  being  taken  fighting,  were  beheaded,  nor  a 
sentiment  of  scorn  for  the  traitor  Donate,  whose  treachery 
was  rewarded  by  a  seat  in  the  Council  without  elec- 
tion, while  his  family  were  made  noble  forever.  Even 
Giustina  Rosso  was  not  forgotten,  and  for  dashing  down 
that  flower-pot  which  came  so  near  being  fatal  to  Baja- 
monte, she  was  permitted  to  hold  her  residence  in  the 
Merceria  for  fifteen  ducats  annually,  and  to  unfurl  a  stand- 
ard from  the  so-called  "mortar  casement"  on  every 
festival  day,  and  in  1341  her  bust  was  placed  near  the 
Sotto  Portico  del  Capello. 

The  15th  of  June,  being  the  day  of  San  Vito,  was  made 
a  festival,  and  one  of  the  great  Venetian  anniversaries, 
when  the  Doge  went  in  grand  and  solemn  state  to  the 
very  small  and  ancient  church  of  that  saint  to  give  thanks 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.    Ill 

for  the  deliverance  from  this  most  important  of  the  Vene- 
tian insurrections. 

Bajarnonte  Tiepolo  lived  a  stormy  and  unhappy  life.  In 
1311  he  was  a  conspirator  at  Padua,  and  somewhat  later 
was  hunted  out  of  Treviso;  in  1322  the  Ten  offered  a 
reward  for  his  capture ;  in  1328  the  Doge  was  ordered  to 
secure  him  if  possible :  but  death  fortunately  released  him 
from  all  his  tortures.  He  had  ever  longed  for  the  lagoons, 
the  Piazza,  his  old  contrada,  and  all  the  ways  of  his 
beloved  Venice ;  but  he  refused  all  the  proposals  made  to 
him  for  his  return,  —  he  could  not  trust  the  dreaded  Ten. 

However,  so  long  as  Gradenigo  lived,  he  was  haunted  by 
fear  of  Tiepolo,  and  of  what  he  might  do;  indeed,  one 
historian  goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  he  died  of  this  revolt 
and  its  consequences.  For  a  time  the  Venetians  were 
constantly  suspecting  an  ambush  in  the  streets,  and  went 
to  their  beds  in  dread  of  the  night  and  of  the  morrow.  It 
was  believed  that  only  the  most  stringent  measures  could 
prevent  a  repetition  of  this  insurrection,  and  that  even 
worse  things  might  happen.  This  tendency  of  the  public 
mind  found  expression  in  a  petition  for  a  Committee  of 
Inquiry,  which  proved  to  be  the  origin  of  the  famous 
Council  of  Ten. 

This  Council  was  organized  for  a  few  months  only,  and 
for  the  special  purpose  of  making  a  searching  inquiry 
into  all  the  ramifications  of  the  late  conspiracy.  But  on 
the  following  Michaelmas  Day  the  Doge  made  one  of  his 
rare  visits  to  the  Great  Council,  for  the  purpose  of  saying 
that  as  the  day  had  come  on  which  the  authority  of  the 
Ten  expired,  he  recommended  its  extension  for  two 
months,  as  the  need  of  it  still  existed  in  order  to  root  out 
sedition  and  treason.  The  amendment  was  passed  and  the 
time  extended  to  November  30,  and  again  to  January  30, 
1311.  At  that  time  it  was  thought  best  to  establish  it  for 
five  years ;  and  at  last,  in  1335,  it  was  made  permanent, 


112  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

and  became   the   tyrant   and    terror   of   Venice.    In  his 
"Venetian  Studies"  Brown  says:  — 

"More  terrible  than  any  personal  despot,  because  impalpable, 
impervious  to  the  dagger  of  the  assassin,  it  was  no  concrete 
despotism,  but  the  very  essence  of  tyranny.  To  seek  its  over- 
throw was  vain.  Those  who  strove  to  wrestle  with  it  clasped 
empty  air ;  they  struck  at  it,  but  the  blow  was  wasted  on  space. 
Evasive  and  pervasive,  this  dark,  inscrutable  body  ruled  Venice 
with  a  rod  of  iron.  For  good  or  for  bad,  the  Council  of  Ten  was 
the  very  child  of  the  new  aristocracy,  which  had  won  its  battle 
against  both  the  people  and  the  old  nobility.  The  victorious 
party  breathed,  and  their  breath  became  the  Ten  ;  and  it  is  the 
Ten  which  determined  the  internal  aspect  of  Venice  for  the 
remainder  of  her  existence." 

Thus  had  Gradenigo  silently  and  determinedly  worked 
a  greater  revolution  than  Bajamonte  could  have  made, 
had  he  succeeded  in  his  plans ;  and  he  had  made  himself 
hated  in  his  success,  while  his  rival  was  beloved  to  the 
end.  The  name  of  Pietro  Gradenigo  is  not  so  frequently 
mentioned  as  those  of  other  Doges  and  generals  of  the 
Republic.  The  man  who  firmly  established  the  aristocrats 
in  power  and  originated  the  Council  of  Ten  is  forgotten 
in  the  importance  and  vast  results  of  his  work ;  but  so  far 
as  the  sovereignty  of  Venice  was  concerned,  no  man  was 
more  remarkable  than  Gradenigo. 

When  he  died,  in  August,  1311,  he  was  hastily  buried 
at  Murano.  Whether  this  was  because  he  was  so  hated 
that  a  riot  was  feared,  or  on  account  of  his  excommunica- 
tion, we  know  not.  How  truly  of  him  could  it  be  said,  he 
brought  nothing  into  this  world;  and  it  is  certain  he  car- 
ried nothing  out,  — not  even  sufficient  respect  from  those 
he  had  benefited  to  lead  them  to  follow  him  to  his  grave. 
This  was  all  the  more  noticeable  from  its  contrast 
with  the  usual  obsequies  of  those  who  held  his  office. 
TTazlitt  gives  the  following  account  of  a  Doge's  funeral: 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,   AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.     113 

"In  the  first  instance  the  ducal  remains  were  transported 
from  the  Palace  on  the  shoulders  of  twenty  of  the  oldest  Sena- 
ators  to  the  saloon  of  the  Signori  di  Notte;  one  of  the  house- 
hold marched  in  front,  carrying  a  sheathed  sword  with  the  point 
upward;  and  a  large  number  of  patricians  followed  the  corpse. 
The  Doge  was  splendidly  attired  in  the  costume  which  he  wore 
on  state  occasions;  and  the  gilded  spurs,  indicating  his  eques- 
trian rank,  were  fastened  at  his  heels.  After  a  brief  interval 
the  procession  was  again  set  in  motion;  and,  the  members  of 
the  College  having  taken  leave  at  this  point,  the  rest  proceeded 
to  St.  Mark's,  where  the  Dogaressa  and  her  ladies  and  a  throng 
of  mourning  nobles  had  assembled.  Here  the  burial  service 
was  performed  with  the  accustomed  solemnity;  and  after  its 
celebration  the  bearers  resumed  their  burden,  and  the  body  was 
conveyed,  with  every  mark  of  pomp,  to  the  family  vault." 

With  Bajamonte  Tiepolo  died  the  old  nobility.  He 
and  it  and  the  people  were  sacrificed  to  the  new  aristo- 
crats, who  had  overridden  the  old  Constitution.  From  the 
Quirini-Tiepolo  conspiracy  the  peculiar  government  which 
was  purely  Venetian,  and  unparalleled  elsewhere,  may  be 
dated;  and  strangely  enough,  the  leaders  of  the  revolt 
contributed  largely  to  the  success  of  Gradenigo,  since,  but 
for  the  insurrection,  it  is  doubtful  if  he  could  have  riveted 
his  chains  and  clasped  them  with  the  Council  of  Ten. 

Time  has  obliterated  the  traces  of  the  rebellion.  The 
Column  of  Infamy  was  broken  soon  after  its  erection  by 
one  of  Bajamonte's  admirers,  and  after  many  removals 
from  one  garden  to  another  it  was  carried  to  Como.  A 
square  of  white  marble  in  the  pavement  of  the  Campo  of 
Sant'  Agostino,  inscribed  "Col:  Bai:  The:  MCCCX.,"  is 
the  sole  reminder  of  the  insurrection ;  and  this  is  where 
few  strangers  go,  in  the  heart  of  Venice,  between  the  Frari 
and  the  Campo  San  Polo. 

The  family  of  the  Tiepolo  were  not  crushed  by  the 
failure  and  exile  of  Bajamonte.  Their  palaces,  always 


114  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

bearing  two  obelisks  on  the  roofs,  are  still  seen  on  the 
Grand  Canal,  and  prove  that  in  later  days  this  house  was 
not  disgraced  by  the  remembrance  of  the  Gran  Cavaliero. 


THE   COUNCIL   OP  TEN. 

Until  within  the  last  half-century  it  would  have  been  a 
matter  of  surprise  to  hear  a  charitable  word  spoken  for 
this  famous  council,  much  more  to  hear  it  defended  as  the 
best  method  for  the  government  of  Venice  at  the  time 
when  it  was  the  controlling  spirit  of  the  Republic.  But 
in  more  recent  years  the  historians  of  various  nationali- 
ties, taking  into  account  the  more  reliable  and  wider 
knowledge  that  has  come  from  the  study  of  the  Venetian 
archives,  are  not  inclined  to  the  severe  condemnation  of 
the  Ten  which  it  formerly  received,  and  have  indeed  been 
led  to  think  it  well  suited  to  its  era,  and  of  great  value  in 
upholding  the  power  and  guarding  the  prosperity  of  the 
Republic. 

Formerly  the  opinion  which  Cooper  expresses  in  the 
"  Bravo  "  found  an  almost  universal  echo.  After  giving 
an  account  of  the  establishment  of  the  Council,  he  says: 

"A  political  inquisition,  which  came  in  time  to  be  one  of  the 
most  fearful  engines  of  police  ever  known,  was  the  consequence. 
An  authority  as  irresponsible  as  it  was  absolute  was  periodi- 
cally confided  to  another  and  still  smaller  body,  which  met  and 
exercised  its  despotic  and  secret  functions  under  the  name  of  the 
Council  of  Three.  The  choice  of  these  temporary  rulers  was 
decided  by  lot,  and  in  a  manner  that  prevented  the  result  from 
being  known  to  any  but  to  their  own  number,  and  to  a  few  of 
the  most  confidential  of  the  more  permanent  officers  of  the  gov- 
ernment. Thus  there  existed  at  all  times  in  the  heart  of  Venice 
a  mysterious  and  despotic  power  that  was  wielded  by  men  who 
moved  in  society  unknown,  and  apparently  surrounded  by  all  the 
ordinary  charities  of  life;  but  which,  in  truth,  was  influenced 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.    115 

"by  a  set  of  political  maxims  that  were  perhaps  as  ruthless,  as 
tyrannic,  and  as  selfish  as  ever  was  invented  by  the  evil  inge- 
nuity of  man.  It  was,  in  short,  a  power  that  could  only  be 
intrusted,  without  abuse,  to  infallible  virtue  and  infinite  intelli- 
gence, using  the  terms  in  a  sense  limited  by  human  means;  and 
and  yet  it  was  here  confided  to  men  whose  title  was  founded  on 
the  double  accident  of  birth  and  the  colors  of  halls,  and  by 
whom  it  was  wielded  without  even  the  check  of  publicity. 

"The  Council  of  Three  met  in  secret,  ordinarily  issued  its 
decrees  without  communicating  with  any  other  body,  and  had 
them  enforced  with  a  fearfulness  of  mystery  and  a  suddenness  of 
execution  that  resembled  the  blows  of  fate.  The  Doge  himself 
was  not  superior  to  its  authority,  nor  protected  from  its  deci- 
sions, while  it  has  been  known  that  one  of  the  privileged  three 
has  been  denounced  by  his  companions.  .  .  .  Thus  Venice  prided 
herself  on  the  justice  of  St.  Mark;  and  few  States  maintained  a 
greater  show,  or  put  forth  a  more  lofty  claim  to  the  possession 
of  the  sacred  quality,  than  that  whose  real  maxims  of  govern- 
ment were  veiled  in  a  mystery  that  even  the  loose  morality  of 
the  age  exacted." 

Since  this  Council  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  and 
characteristic  peculiarities  of  the  Venetian  government,  it 
is  worth  while  to  quote  a  few  authoritative  and  judicial 
opinions  regarding  it,  and  all  the  more  that  we  have 
already  cited  those  most  severely  against  it.  Hazlitt,  — 
the  able  English  historian  of  the  Venetian  Republic,  and  a 
member  of  the  Inner  Temple,  —  in  speaking  of  the  time 
(1335),  when  the  Council  of  Ten  was  made  permanent, 
says : — 

"The  Republic  had  now  enjoyed  halcyon  days  of  peace  since 
the  return  of  the  Zaratines  to  their  allegiance  in  1313.  Twenty 
years  of  foreign  war  and  domestic  convulsion  (1293-1313)  were 
thus  followed  by  twenty  years  of  external  and  internal  repose 
(1313-1333).  Dalmatia  was  tranquillized;  Genoa  was  humili- 
ated. The  Lower  Empire,  though  not  without  its  alarming 
symptoms,  was  quiescent.  The  pressure  of  extraordinary  taxes 


116         THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

was  no  longer  sensible.  Prices  were  low.  Provisions  were  abun- 
dant. Commerce  had  received  an  enormous  impulse  and  expan- 
sion. The  condition  of  trade  was  highly  flourishing.  The  upper 
classes  were  elated  by  the  development  of  fresh  sources  of  wealth. 
The  lower  orders  were  exhilarated  by  the  removal  of  their  bur- 
dens. It  was  under  these  auspicious  circumstances  that  the 
time  was  approaching  for  the  dissolution  of  the  Council  of  Ten. 
"The  original  jurisdiction  of  this  unique  tribunal  had  been 
of  a  purely  exclusive  and  strictly  transient  character.  To  devise 
measures  for  the  safety  of  the  State,  to  obtain  by  any  expedients 
every  new  clew  to  the  conspiracy  of  1310,  to  unravel  these  clews 
to  their  source  with  untiring  diligence,  to  bring  to  justice  all 
who  might  have  eluded  detection,  were  the  objects  to  which  the 
labors  of  Decemvirs  were  directed,  and  the  points  to  which  their 
cognizance  was  confined.  But  the  Council,  even  if  its  attributes 
had  not  been  emphatically  inquisitorial,  showed  no  disposition 
to  be  perfunctory.  The  line  of  demarcation,  if  any  such  line 
had  existed,  was  soon  obliterated  or  ignored.  Every  branch  of 
the  Executive  was  submitted  in  its  turn,  under  various  pretexts, 
to  the  novel  influence.  Nor  could  it  be  denied  that  that  influ- 
ence was  exercised,  on  the  whole,  to  a  highly  beneficial  end.  It 
had  been  accounted  a  great  revolution  when,  so  recently  as  1298, 
the  Great  Council  succeeded  in* arrogating  to  itself  the  preroga- 
tives which  formerly  belonged  to  the  people.  But  the  narrow 
jealousy  and  distrust,  which  were  gradually  growing  up  in  the 
ranks  of  the  nobility,  had  long  made  it  palpably  evident  to  the 
more  discerning,  that  a  still  higher  and  still  more  concentric 
power  must  eventually  arise  to  wrest  these  prerogatives  from  the 
hands  of  the  Great  Council  itself.  That  power  was  already 
found  to  exist  in  the  Decemvirs.  Primarily  elected,  and  con- 
stantly renewed  by  the  legislative  body  on  the  clearest  ground 
of  expediency,  the  Ten  had  incessantly  striven  to  popularize 
themselves,  and  to  strengthen  their  position  by  propitiating  the 
lower  classes  on  the  one  hand,  and  by  turning  to  account,  on  the 
other  hand,  with  unequalled  dexterity  the  disunion  among  the  pa- 
tricians, to  rule  that  order  with  a  hand  of  iron.  By  some  the  Dic- 
tatorship was  viewed  as  an  indispensable  ingredient  in  the 
Constitution;  by  some  it  was  tolerated  as  an  odious  necessity; 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.    117 

but  all  accepted  the  silent  innovation  in  a  spirit  of  acquiescence. 
The  Decemvirs  knew  their  strength,  and  they  quickly  made  that 
strength  felt.  It  was  on  the  30th  of  January,  1336,  that  their 
commission  was  about  to  expire ;  on  the  20th  of  July,  1335,  they 
caused  themselves  to  be  declared  a  permanent  Assembly.  .  .  . 

"In  the  Middle  Ages,  when  an  almost  total  ignorance  reigned 
of  civil  principles,  it  was  not  unnatural  that  a  system  pretend- 
ing to  rise  above  the  common  level  of  crude  simplicity  should  be 
viewed  as  slightly  cabalistic  and  inscrutable.  The  Venetian 
Executive,  indeed,  displayed  the  earliest  attempt  to  organize  a 
bureaucratic  machinery  and  a  plan  for  the  distribution  of  public 
functions ;  and  Venice  also  led  the  way  in  founding  the  practice 
of  diplomatic  etiquette  and  official  routine.  The  Council  of  Ten 
was,  perhaps,  a  constitutional  evil;  but  it  was  certainly  a  con- 
stitutional necessity.  The  tribunal  was  more  or  less  fatal  to  the 
political  liberty  of  the  Venetians;  but  it  left  untouched  their 
civil  privileges,  and  it  was  highly  conducive  to  the  preservation 
of  the  national  independence.  While  it  was  inaccessible  to  the 
whispers  of  treason,  it  was  not  a  stranger  to  the  softer  influences 
of  humanity.  Instances  were  known  in  which  a  female  suppli- 
ant was  permitted  to  penetrate  into  the  Hall  of  the  Decemvirs, 
and  obtained  that  redress  which  had  been  denied  to  her  else- 
where. An  instance  might  be  cited  in  which,  when  a  foreign 
tyrant  had  tempted  and  overcome  the  virtue  even  of  members  of 
the  College,  the  Ten,  alone  incorruptible  and  without  a  price, 
provided  for  the  safety  of  the  imperilled  State !  ...  It  was  not 
very  long  after  their  original  institution  in  1310  that  the  De- 
cemvirs resorted,  in  cases  where  peculiarly  delicate  investigation 
was  requisite,  to  the  practice  of  delegating  their  powers  provi- 
sionally and  specially  to  one,  two,  or  three  of  their  number, 
according  to  circumstances;  and  these  extraordinary  function- 
aries were  known  as  the  '  Inquisitor!  dei  Dieci, '  or  the  Inquisi- 
tors of  the  Ten.  .  .  .  The  Capi  submitted  resolutions  to  their 
colleagues,  and  signed  decrees  in  their  name;  and  the  letters 
purporting  to  be  written  by  the  Doge  himself  or  his  secretary 
were  generally  composed  under  their  dictation,  being  forwarded 
to  his  Serenity  only  for  subscription.  The  Inquisitors  of  the 
Ten,  who  were  thus  nearly  coeval  with  the  Ten  themselves,  may 


118  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

be  recognized  as  the  forerunners  of  the  famous  '  Inquisitors  of 
State.'  But  no  tribunal  existed  at  Venice  under  the  latter  title 
prior  to  1596,  nor  even  then  was  it  clothed  with  the  revolting 
attributes  which  have  been  ascribed  to  it  by  ignorance  or 
malignity." 

M.  Armand  Baschet  has  written  a  book  founded  on 
the  Archives  of  Venice,  called  "Histoire  de  la  Chan- 
cellerie  Secrete, "  which  treats  of  the  Senate,  the  Cabinet, 
the  Council  of  Ten,  and  the  Inquisitors  of  State,  in  their 
relations  to  France.  It  is  an  exhaustive  and  learned 
work ;  and  having  quoted  an  English  authority,  it  is  wise 
also  to  give  a  few  sentences  from  this  erudite  French 
writer :  — 

"No  institution  has  been  more  falsely  represented  and  more 
misjudged  than  the  Council  of  Ten.  The  profound  secrecy  of 
its  deliberations,  to  secure  which  the  extremest  precautions  were 
alwa}rs  permitted,  offered  so  favorable  a  subject  for  invention 
and  exaggeration  that  pamphleteers  and  romancers  could  but 
seize  upon  it  without  reserve.  Doubtless  this  extraordinary  tri- 
bunal had  its  dramas,  since  politics  and  reasons  of  State  imposed 
on  it  the  duty  of  scrutinizing  the  depths  of  the  heart.  Assuredly, 
also,  it  had  its  faults,  —  for  although  called  supreme,  it  was  not 
divine,  and  was  therefore  liable  to  err;  but  to  believe  that  it 
was  established  for  the  calm  commission  of  evil,  rather  than  to 
prevent  or  correct  it,  is  one  of  those  extremely  gross  errors  for 
which  the  active  research  into  the  truth  of  history  —  which 
in  our  day  is  zealously  carried  so  far  —  endeavors  to  make 
reparation. 

"Was  its  creation  the  arbitrary  outcome  of  the  heated  imagi- 
nation of  a  tyrant  of  the  school  of  Nero  ?  Was  it  an  offensive 
or  defensive  weapon  invented  by  this  tyrant  in  order  to  torment 
his  people  ?  Good  sense  proves  this  to  have  been  impossible. 
The  Council  of  Ten  was  created  by  the  votes,  the  discussions, 
and  conclusions  of  a  numerous  and  intelligent  Assembly;  strong 
in  its  united  strength;  full  of  political  instincts,  which  did  not 
ignore  the  truth  that  the  power  which  by  a  vote  it  was  about 


GRADENIGO,  TIEPOLO,  AND  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TEN.  119 

to  establish  was  created  to  prevent  the  dangers  which  men  of 
great  ambitions  on  the  exterior,  or  revolutionists  in  the  interior, 
might  bring  to  the  Republic. 

"Was  its  establishment  the  work  of  a  day?  Would  this 
great  Council,  created  for  two  months  only,  have  been  continued 
by  a  new  vote  for  one  year,  five  years,  ten  years,  and  at  last  per- 
manently, if  the  exercise  of  its  power  had  not  been  recognized 
as  a  benefit  rather  than  an  evil  ?  Was  not  this  State,  which  in 
establishing  this  Council  created  a  judge  for  itself,  the  best  gov- 
erned and  most  orderly  which  then  existed  in  the  world  ?  What 
other  nation  then  had  a  parliament  like  that  of  Venice  ?  Could 
the  sovereign  exercise  oppression  even  in  his  decrees  ?  What 
was  the  Doge  in  the  presence  of  the  Grand  Council,  the  lesser 
Council,  and  the  Senate,  other  than  a  person  with  less  power 
than  the  Sovereign  of  Great  Britain  to-day,  who  must  be  in 
accord  with  the  will  of  the  Parliament  and  the  House  of  Lords  ? 
Moreover,  it  is  manifest  to  one  who  seeks  to  know  the  Council 
of  Ten  from  authentic  sources,  rather  than  from  amusing  his- 
tories without  reliable  knowledge,  that  this  power  was  for  the 
protection  of  the  people  against  the  patricians  rather  than  against 
the  people  in  favor  of  the  patricians. 

"  Go  to  its  archives,  open  its  records,  examine  its  parchments, 
penetrate  into  its  correspondence,  initiate  yourself  in  the  mys- 
teries of  its  justice,  understand  its  decrees,  inform  yourself  as  to 
its  judgments,  and  you  will  see  whether  it  made  its  power  one 
long  abuse,  and  whether  the  spirit  of  tyranny  rather  than  that 
of  justice  was  its  inspiration  and  motive  power.  That  it  held  a 
terrible  power  in  its  hands  is  incontestable;  bxit  that  it  used 
this  power  upon  suspicion,  and  in  the  absence  of  other  proof,  is 
absolutely  false.  It  is  puerile  to  judge  the  penalties  of  those 
days  by  present  standards.  Should  we  not  consider  the  manners 
and  customs  of  its  time  ?  Under  the  best  of  our  kings,  under 
the  most  just,  the  most  amiable  and  honest,  were  not  the  abet- 
tors of  certain  crimes  furiously  quartered  ?  It  is  absurd  to  com- 
pare past  history  with  the  present,  except  it  be  to  praise  and 
admire  the  progress  that  has  been  made. 

"Moreover,  the  Council  of  Ten  had  to  sustain,  in  the  course 
of  three  centuries,  the  most  searching  tests  to  which  a  political 


120  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

institution  could  be  subjected.  Three  times  its  institution,*  its 
existence,  and  its  system  were  placed  under  the  ban  of  the  Par- 
liament which  had  created  it.  Three  times  was  it  called  in 
question  by  a  party  in  the  Grand  Council,  and  submitted  to  ex- 
amination and  discussion.  The  tribune  was  free;  the  speeches 
made  for  and  against  its  abolition  still  exist.  In  1582,  1628, 
and  1762  the  eloquence  of  the  orators  threatened  its  destruction. 
Judges  were  elected  by  vote  to  thoroughly  inform  themselves 
regarding  it.  They  did  not  act  under  personal  instruction  to 
proceed  against  the  individuals  invested  with  full  powers  and 
accused  of  having  used  them  against  the  welfare  of  the  State. 
Quite  otherwise  were  they  instructed,  since,  according  to  the 
results  of  their  investigation,  a  considerable  Assembly  would 
decide  for  or  against  the  preservation  of  this  institution  in  the 
Republic.  Its  most  secret  papers  were  submitted  to  them;  and 
three  times  the  Council  of  Ten  triumphed  over  the  party  opposed 
to  it,  after  having  been  subjected  to  the  most  exciting  and 
searching  discussions  which  could  possibly  engage  a  great  and 
vigorous  political  assembly." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MURANO    AND   THE  GLASS-MAKERS. 

/T>HE  excursion  to  Murano  must  be  made  on  a  fine  day, 
JL  when  the  wind  is  favorable  and  the  sea  calm,  as  it 
is  frequently  very  rough  near  that  island.  We  leave 
Venice  at  the  Fondamenta  Nuove,  and  keep  to  the  north. 
It  is  but  a  half -hour' s  row  to  Murano,  and  the  aspect  of 
the  lagoon  here  is  quite  different  from  that  to  the  south  of 
Venice.  To  the  east  lies  the  desolate  marsh-land  formerly 
called  the  Dogado,  where  the  Doge  had  preserves  for  fish- 
ing and  shooting.  From  these  marshes  came  the  wild 
duck  which  the  Doge  presented  to  every  noble,  on  Decem- 
ber 4,  Saint  Barbara's  Day. 

We  soon  reach  San  Michele,  the  cemetery  of  Venice, 
to  which  the  boats  with  black  flags,  so  often  seen,  are 
always  going.  The  sight  of  it  reminds  us  of  Mr.  Ho  wells 
and  his  "  Venetian  Life :  "  — 

"As  we  go  by  the  cemetery  of  San  Michele,  Piero  the  gondo- 
lier and  Giovanna  improve  us  with  a  little  solemn  pleasantry. 

"  'It  is  a  small  place,'  says  Piero,  'but  there  is  room  enough 
for  all  Venice  in  it.' 

"  'It  is  true,'  asserts  Giovanna;  'and  here  we  poor  folks 
become  landowners  at  last.'  " 

We  stay  here  long  enough  to  see  the  handsome  church 
built  by  Moro  Lombardo  in  1466 ;  to  examine  the  statues 
by  Bernini,  which,  to  say  truth,  do  not  seem  to  strike  the 
Venetian  key-note ;  and  to  read  the  name  of  Fra  Paolo 
Sarpi  in  the  pavement,  beneath  which  lies  this  brave 


122  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

defender  of  Venice  against  Pope  Paul  V.  From  the  Car- 
melite convent  of  San  Michele  went  Placido  Zurla  to  be 
made  a  cardinal,  and  that  Cappelari  who  ascended  the 
papal  throne,  in  our  own  century,  as  Gregory  XVI.  Here 
also  lived  Frate  Mauro,  who  made  in  1457  the  celebrated 
Mappa-Mondo  for  Alphonso  V.  of  Portugal.  It  is  now  in 
the  library  of  St.  Mark,  and  is  a  geographical  encyclo- 
paedia of  all  that  was  known  about  our  planet  at  that 
time. 

It  would  be  folly  to  attempt  a  new  description  of  the 
panorama  before  us  when  we  can  quote  a  sentence  from 
Ruskin  which  thus  outlines  the  scene  between  Venice 
and  Murano :  — 

"The  pure  cumuli  of  cloud  lie  crowded  and  leaning  against 
one  another,  rank  beyond  rank,  far  over  the  shining  water,  each 
cut  away  at  its  foundation  by  a  level  line,  trenchant  and  clear, 
till  they  sink  to  the  horizon  like  a  flight  of  marble  steps,  except 
where  the  mountains  meet  them,  and  are  lost  in  them,  barred 
across  by  the  gray  terraces  of  those  cloud  foundations,  and  re- 
duced into  one  crestless  bank  of  blue,  spotted  here  and  there 
with  strange  flakes  of  wan,  aerial,  greenish  light,  strewed  upon 
them  like  snow.  And  underneath  is  the  long  dark  line  of  the 
mainland,  fringed  with  low  trees;  and  then  the  wide  waving 
surface  of  the  burnished  lagoon  trembling  slowly,  and  shaking 
out  into  forked  bands  of  lengthening  light  the  images  of  the 
towers  of  cloud  above.  To  the  north,  there  is  first  the  great 
cemetery  wall,  then  the  long  stray  buildings  of  Murano,  and 
the  inland  villages  beyond,  glittering  in  intense  crystalline  ver- 
milion, like  so  much  jewelry  scattered  on  a  mirror,  their  towers 
poised  apparently  in  the  air  a  little  above  the  horizon,  and  their 
reflections,  as  sharp  and  vivid  and  substantial  as  themselves, 
thrown  on  the  vacancy  between  them  and  the  sea.  And  thus 
the  villages  seem  standing  on  the  air;  and  to  the  east  there  is 
a  cluster  of  ships  that  seem  sailing  on  the  land;  for  the  sandy 
line  of  the  Lido  stretches  itself  between  us  and  them,  and  we 
can  see  the  tall  white  sails  moving  beyond  it,  but  not  the  sea; 


MURANO  AND  THE  GLASS-MAKERS.  123 

only  there  is  a  sense  of  the  great  sea  being  indeed  there,  and  a 
solemn  strength  of  gleaming  light  in  the  sky  above." 

Between  the  cemetery  and  Murano  there  is  little  more 
than  a  channel,  and  we  enter  a  canal  with  narrow  quays 
on  each  side,  three  or  four  feet  above  the  canal.  The 
houses,  now  inhabited  by  poor  people,  have  certain  really 
beautiful  features  in  doorways  and  windows,  which  indi- 
cate that  Murano  "has  seen  better  days."  At  present 
there  is  the  sort  of  stir  that  belongs  to  a  manufacturing 
town  the  world  over,  —  street-cries  from  the  dealers  in 
fruits  and  fish ;  glass-makers  coming  and  going,  stopping 
now  and  then  to  speak  with  the  women  who  are  knitting  in 
the  doorways,  —  and  altogether  an  air  of  active,  practical 
life  that  is  very  unlike  Venice  itself. 

Our  first  visit  is  naturally  to  the  Cathedral  of  San 
Donato.  The  origin  of  this  church  is  thus  given  in  the 
legends:  Otho  the  Great,  who  died  in  973,  had  a  vision 
in  which  the  Virgin  Mary  showed  him  a  triangular 
meadow  covered  with  scarlet  lilies,  and  desired  him  to 
build  there  a  church  in  her  honor.  Nearly  two  centuries 
later,  when  the  Doge  Michiele  II.  brought  from  Cephalonia 
the  embalmed  body  of  Saint  Donato,  and  gave  it  to  this 
church,  that  saint  was  joined  with  the  Virgin  as  its 
patron,  and  the  cathedral  henceforth  called  by  his  name. 
It  is  probable  that  the  whole  church  was  then  rebuilt. 
At  all  events,  the  architecture  is  unmistakably  of  the 
twelfth  century,  and  is  very  interesting,  especially  the 
semicircular  apse,  with  its  double  rows  of  round  arches 
and  its  beautifully  sculptured  marbles. 

The  remarkable  balustrade  around  the  upper  gallery  is 
also  noticeable;  and  the  chief  interest  of  this  church, 
which  stands  in  the  northern  angle  of  the  triangle,  is  in 
its  exterior.  The  campanile,  a  few  yards  away,  is  heavy ; 
and  the  modern  buildings,  with  their  ugly  square  windows 
and  blank  walls,  make  it  difficult  to  enjoy  even  the  little 


124  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

that  remains  from  the  old  davs.     There  is  a  ruined  flag- 

*  O 

staff  foundation,  with  the  iron  hasps  that  held  the  stand- 
ard still  remaining,  and  a  well  with  the  date  1502.  The 
interior  of  San  Donate  has  been  so  changed  in  recent 
times  that  it  is  simply  commonplace,  with  the  exception 
of  the  pavement,  which  is  beautifully  inlaid,  and  dates 
from  1140,  and  a  Madonna  in  Greek  mosaic,  which  is 
a  remarkable  imitation  of  the  Byzantine,  though  by 
no  means  beautiful.  Doubtless  some  of  the  columns 
with  delicately  sculptured  capitals  were  brought  from 
Altinum. 

The  Church  of  the  Angels  must  be  visited  for  the  sake 
of  the  Madonna  by  Gian  Bellini,  which  was  painted  for 
the  Doge  Barberigo  in  1488,  and  presented  to  the  con- 
vent in  which  two  of  his  daughters  had  taken  the  veil. 
The  Doge,  in  all  the  pomp  of  his  official  attire,  is  pre- 
sented to  the  Virgin  by  Saints  Mark  and  Augustine.  It 
is  a  most  interesting  picture,  as  are  all  those  by  this 
old  painter,  who  loved  to  paint  the  Divine  Mother  and 
Child  with  their  attendant  saints  and  angels;  and,  as 
in  this  picture,  with  "beds  of  weeds  and  flowers,  in 
which  the  crane,  the  peacock,  and  partridge  alike  elect 
to  congregate." 

But  it  is  not  for  its  churches,  its  architecture,  or  works 
of  art  that  Murano  is  known  to  us.  Neither  is  it  of  this 
Murano,  with  its  few  thousand  inhabitants  and  less  than 
a  dozen  manufactories,  that  we  have  been  accustomed  to 
think.  It  is  of  that  Murano  on  which  dwelt  thirty  thou- 
sand people,  and  from  which  ascended  the  smoke  of  three 
hundred  furnaces,  the  fires  of  which  were  nearly  all  extin- 
guished after  the  fall  of  the  Republic.  Now,  however,  in 
the  new  life  that  has  come  to  Italy,  the  glass -making  of 
Murano  is  reviving. 

Salviati  has  done  much  to  restore  the  art  to  its  old- 
time  excellence;  and  other  countries  again  depend  on 


MURANO  AND  THE   GLASS-MAKERS.  125 

Venice  for  many  of  these  products.  Again  the  beads  of 
Murano  are  very  beautiful,  and  an  important  element  of 
commerce ;  and  though  many  of  the  objects  now  made  are 
more  fantastic  than  useful,  they  are  also  very  beautiful. 
Salviati  imitates  both  the  old  glass  and  the  mosaics,  and 
varies  his  products  in  a  thousand  forms,  which  are  still 
tinted  with  the  old  and  famous  colors,  — girasole  (opal), 
acqua  marina,  rubino,  lattimo,  giallo  d'oro,  and  many 
others. 

The  frieze  of  mosaic  at  the  South  Kensington  Museum 
in  London,  and  the  ceiling  of  the  vestibule  which  leads 
from  the  grand  staircase  to  the  foyer  in  the  Paris  Opera 
House  are  excellent  specimens  of  the  modern  mosaic  work 
of  Murano,  which  is  now  in  full  revival,  and  takes  the 
first  place  in  the  world,  as  it  did  centuries  ago.  The 
following  description  of  some  splendid  pieces  made  for 
Mr.  H.  Furber,  of  Chicago,  shows  the  present  impor- 
tance of  this  art  in  Venice.  They  are  intended  for  the 
"  Columbus  Palace  "  near  the  grounds  of  the  "  Columbian 
Exposition  " :  — 

"  Among  the  important  works  recently  executed  is  a  large 
mosaic  panel  representing  Columbus  being  received  by  Queen 
Isabella  and  King  Ferdinand  of  Spain  after  his  return  from 
America.  This  panel,  measuring  about  two  hundred  square 
feet,  shows  Columbus  when  kneeling  before  the  sovereigns, 
presenting  to  them  the  natives  of  the  newly  discovered  land, 
and  some  products  of  the  soil.  The  persons  represented  are 
about  thirty-eight  in  number,  many  of  them  of  the  natural  size, 
formed  in  three  principal  groups.  In  the  most  important  group 
is  Columbus,  having  at  his  side  the  young  crown  prince  and  the 
sovereigns,  surrounded  by  the  dignitaries  of  the  court,  ladies 
and  noblemen,  and  pages  holding  the  standards.  In  the  middle 
group,  but  more  to  the  left,  are  the  native  Indians;  and  near  the 
entrance  of  the  hall  other  Spanish  nobles  and  the  companions  of 
Columbus.  The  gorgeous  and  various  attires  of  all  the  figures, 
their  warlike  implements,  the  splendid  stuffs  of  all  sorts  and 


126  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

tints,  the  rich  decoration  of  the  hall,  the  pageantry  of  the  court, 
the  strange  tones  and  costumes  of  the  natives  in  full  contrast 
with  the  others,  and  the  various  attitudes  of  all  these  personages 
form  a  whole  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  details  of  the  scene, 
owing  to  the  excellent  distribution  of  the  figures,  and  the  per- 
fect fusion  of  tints.  The  work  is  so  delicately  executed  that  no 
one  can  believe  that  the  panel  is  not  painted  until  on  touching 
it  he  discovers  that  it  is  entirely  composed  of  small  enamel  cubes, 
put  together  without  any  aid  of  color  or  cement,  and  worked 
according  to  the  mode  of  the  old  Venetian  mosaic  school.  This 
panel  will  form  the  pendant  of  another  representing  Columbus 
landing  in  America." 

No  glass  has  been  so  famous  as  that  of  Venice,  because 
no  other  glass-makers  have  ever  equalled  the  Venetians 
in  the  beauty  of  their  products,  nor  in  the  marvellous 
manner  in  which  they  varied  the  use  of  their  materials. 
Good  authorities  believe  that  this  art  was  known  to  the 
earliest  settlers  of  the  lagoons,  although  they  used  their 
knowledge  in  the  making  of  the  necessities  of  life  alone ; 
but  the  material  of  the  antique  glass  and  the  Muranese 
glass  is  precisely  the  same. 

In  1292  the  Grand  Council,  by  a  decree,  ordered  the 
removal  of  the  glass-workers  to  Murano,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  furnaces  at  Riva  Alto.  From  the  inauguration 
of  this  industry  at  Murano,  the  Government  was  extremely 
jealous  in  preventing  the  secrets  of  glass-making  from 
being  discovered  by  any  strangers.  From  the  year  1275 
the  export  of  lump  glass,  or  of  the  materials  used  in  its 
composition,  and  even  of  broken  glass,  was  forbidden, 
and  a  heavy  penalty  attached  to  such  acts ;  and  from  this 
time  more  stringent  laws  were  made,  and  at  length  the 
manufactories  were  put  in  charge  of  the  Council  of  Ten, 
so  determined  was  the  Republic  to  profit  by  the  skill  of 
its  workers.  These  anxieties  were  not  unreasonable, 
since  it  is  known  that  men  as  high  in  position  as  the 


MURANO  AND  THE  GLASS-MAKERS.  127 

ambassadors  from  France  had  a  sort  of  police  in  their 
employ,  who  attempted  to  bribe  the  glass-workers,  and  to 
spy  out  the  raw  materials  they  used,  and  their  manner  of 
combining  them. 

It  appears  most  probable  that  to  the  original  knowledge 
of  the  earliest  Venetians  some  additions  must  have  been 
made  from  the  methods  of  the  Oriental  mosaic-workers, 
who  were  employed  in  San  Marco  as  early  as  the  tenth 
century,  although  later  the  productions  of  the  Venetians 
were  sought  in  the  East,  where  the  making  of  fine  glass 
bad  come  to  be  a  lost  art.  That  this  is  true  is  proved  by 
an  order  still  existing  for  four  hundred  mosque  lamps, 
bearing  verses  from  the  Koran,  in  colored  enamels,  to  be 
made  for  the  Grand  Vizier  of  the  Sultan.  The  Arabic 
influence  which  is  so  clearly  shown  in  Venetian  glass  is 
supposed  to  have  come  from  the  specimens  of  glass  found 
in  the  Roman  Campagna,  and  in  many  other  places  in 
Italy,  such  as  Nola,  Campania,  and  so  on,  which  in  all 
probability  were  used  as  models  at  Murano. 

Venice  gained  immense  sums  by  her  trade  in  glass  beads 
alone.  Their  place  in  commerce  is  almost  incredible, 
especially  when  they  began  to  be  covered  with  enamels, 
gold,  and  opaline  colors.  The  Orientals  exchanged  for 
them  silks,  spices,  precious  metals,  and  all  sorts  of  exqui- 
site tissues.  They  found  their  way  all  over  the  world, 
and  in  modern  days  have  been  seen  in  central  Africa, 
where  they  were  used  for  money.  The  shrewd  Venetians 
valued  their  exquisite  pieces  of  glass,  the"ir  vases,  gob- 
lets, mirror  frames,  and  ewers ;  but  they  were  most  jealous 
in  the  protection  of  their  bead  trade  and  manufacture. 

From  the  eleventh  to  the  fourteenth  century  the  prepa- 
ration of  enamel  for  mosaic  work  was  the  most  important 
department  of  the  glass-works  at  Murano,  and  the  mosaic 
glass  there  made  has  never  been  equalled  in  beauty  or 
durability  elsewhere.  Even  pavements  in  San  Marco, 


128  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

made  from  this  glass,  and  now  five  or  six  centuries  old, 
are  still  perfect  in  color,  joints,  and  setting. 

Salviati  gives  the  name  of  glass  to  the  Venetian  manu- 
facture alone,  and  applies  "  crystal  or  crystallified  glass  " 
to  all  other  varieties,  and  Yriarte  says :  — 

"  These  makers  have  but  one  object,  to  imitate  the  quality  of 
crystal.  Thus,  when  they  have  perfected  the  properties  of  clear- 
ness and  brilliancy,  they  set  about  increasing  the  attractiveness 
of  their  productions  by  cutting  them  after  they  have  been  first 
run  in  moulds;  that  is  to  say,  by  employing  mechanical  means 
to  obtain  something  like  the  richness,  the  variety  of  form,  and 
vigor  of  line  which  alone  can  insure  it  success  in  the  market. 
But  to  do  this  is  to  demand  from  glass  qualities  which  it  ought 
not  to  yield,  and  to  change  its  nature,  depriving  it  of  its  two 
essential  qualities,  —  lightness  and  ductility. 

"The  glory  of  Murano  is  to  have  preserved  the  special  prop- 
erties of  the  material,  and  to  have  made  it  yield  all  the  beauties 
of  which  it  was  capable." 

These  workers  at  Murano  had  two  great  advantages,  — 
the  material  they  used  was  ductile,  light,  especially  bril- 
liant, and  possessed  of  vitreous  appearance  quite  unique ; 
and,  added  to  these  important  conditions,  the  workmen 
had  natural  good  taste,  and  the  immense  aid  of  historical 
traditions,  —  and  by  wisely  employing  its  own  resources 
Murano  attained  its  great  reputation;  its  forms  and  colors 
have  not  been  equalled,  and  that  they  could  be  excelled 
is  past  imagining. 

We  know  the  name  of  the  man  who  made  mosaics  for 
San  Marco  in  1100.  It  was  Pietro,  and  he  worked  for  the 
Doge  Vitale  Michiele  I.  In  1268  the  glass-workers  had 
formed  a  corporation.  In  1292  they  settled  permanently 
on  Murano.  In  1329  they  were  employed  to  furnish  glass 
for  churches  in  other  cities;  and  in  1376  the  Senate 
declared  that  a  master  glass-maker  might  marry  the 
daughter  of  a  noble,  and  their  children  be  held  as  of  noble 


MURANO  AND  THE  GLASS-MAKERS.  129 

rank.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  Venetian  glass-workers 
decorated  the  fine  edifices  all  over  Italy,  and  made  the 
windows  for  the  Cathedral  of  Milan. 

So  vast  had  the  industry  now  become  that  it  was 
divided  into  specialties, —  the  verixelli  made  small  objects 
and  beads;  the  phioleri  made  bottles.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  fifteenth  century  Angelo  Beroviero  had  the  most 
famous  furnace  at  Murano,  at  the  sign  of  the  Angel.  He 
made  both  vessels  and  windows,  and  being  a  learned 
chemist  knew  how  to  give  the  most  varied  and  beautiful 
colors  to  his  glass.  Beroviero  also  made  the  discovery  of 
a  process  by  which  to  apply  enamel  to  glass  in  different 
colors.  He  made  exquisite  goblets ;  and  special  designs 
were  executed  for  marriage  and  birth  cups,  or  for  any 
important  occasion.  Beroviero  reached  perfection  in  his 
art,  and  his  brothers  and  sons  were  never  surpassed  in 
enamelled  glass.  To  his  son  Marino  may  be  ascribed  the 
splendid  glass  in  San  Giovanni  e  Paolo,  made  after  the 
designs  of  Girolamo  Mocetto  in  1473. 

In  truth,  it  is  to  the  Berovieri  that  the  progress  in  glass- 
making  is  due.  They  invented  in  1463  that  transparent 
glass  called  crystal ;  and  giving  up  the  old  simplicity  of 
form  and  decoration,  they  became  bold  and  even  audacious 
in  their  work.  They  used  gold  and  enamel,  and  made 
those  occasional  pieces,  now  so  precious,  on  which  the 
designs  and  inscriptions  furnish  historical  scenes  from 
the  fifteenth  century. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  Andrea 
Vidaore  invented  the  process  of  making  artificial  pearls 
with  the  enameller's  blow-pipe,  and  later  he  invented 
glass  jet,  both  of  which  discoveries  became  very  remu- 
nerative. In  1507  two  Muranese  petitioned  the  Council  of 
Ten  for  a  grant  of  the  monopoly  of  mirror  glass  all  over 
the  Republic  for  twenty-five  years,  and  for  permission  to 
keep  their  fires  lighted  during  the  two  months  and  a  half 


130  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

when  all  the  fires  were  bound  to  be  extinguished.  Prior 
to  this  time  the  method  of  preparing  mirror  glass  had 
been  known  and  was  used  elsewhere ;  but  at  Venice  the 
metal  plates  had  been  retained.  Now,  however,  began 
the  growth  of  that  enormous  industry  in  mirror  plates 
which  has  retained  its  importance  even  in  recent  times, 
and  which  other  nations  have  tried  to  appropriate. 

The  art  of  cutting  glass  in  facets,  and  imitating  pre- 
cious stones,  as  well  as  of  coloring  "  crystal "  glass,  was 
discovered  in  1605 ;  and  all  these  inventions  brought  great 
wealth  to  the  glass-workers,  some  of  whom  purchased 
nobility  for  themselves  and  their  descendants. 

Through  Colbert,  France  succeeded  in  competing  with 
Murano.  England  did  the  same  by  aid  of  the  Duke  of 
Buckingham ;  and  Bohemia  gave  itself  up  to  glass  manu- 
facture in  such  a  way  that  the  Venetian  industry  suffered 
at  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Giuseppe  Briati, 
a  passionate  lover  of  his  art,  left  Murano,  and  took  ser- 
vice in  a  manufactory  at  Prague,  and  having  learned  the 
Bohemian  secrets,  he  returned  to  Venice  in  1736,  and 
obtained  a  license,  for  ten  years,  to  manufacture  and  sell 
crystals  made  in  the  Bohemian  fashion.  Briati  estab- 
lished himself  in  Venice  in  the  Via  del  Angello  Raffaelo. 
At  this  period  mirrors  were  framed  with  flowers  and 
foliage  of  cut  glass,  in  relief,  and  lustres  were  decorated 
with  flowers,  grapes,  and  leaves  in  brilliant  colors. 
Filigrana  (filigree),  too,  was  much  in  favor;  and  some  of 
Briati 's  vases  in  this  style  are  now  very  precious  on 
account  of  their  refinement  of  form  and  taste.  Briati 
died  in  1772,  but  at  Murano  his  art  survived. 

In  1790  a  license  was  granted  to  Giorgio  Barbaria  to 
make  black  bottles  for  export  to  England ;  and  soon  after 
he  manufactured  jet  and  enamels.  Barbaria  was  the 
deputy  of  Murano  until  the  fall  of  the  Republic,  when  the 
island  became  almost  a  desert,  and  its  master  workmen 


MTJEANO  AND  THE  GLASS-MAKERS.  131 

and   journeymen  sought  in  other  lands   the  bread  they 
could  no  longer  earn  at  Murano. 

There  are  many  interesting  stories  and  traditions  con- 
nected with  the  Berovieri.  Angelo,  who  was  the  superior 
of  them  all,  inherited  a  good  business,  and  by  his  own 
discoveries  became  very  rich.  He  had  a  large  shop 
in  Venice,  besides  his  factory  on  Murano,  from  which  he 
shipped  immense  quantities  of  glass  to  various  ports  in 
Europe  and  the  Orient.  His  dwelling  was  in  a  part  of 
Murano  that  was  free  from  the  smoke  of  the  furnaces.  It 
was  of  marble,  and  very  handsome  without,  while  within 
it  was  most  luxurious  and  elegant.  The  garden  stretched 
to  the  water's  edge,  and  was  laid  out  with  much  taste. 
Large  trees  afforded  grateful  shade  at  midday,  and  spicy 
odors  from  the  flowers  combined  with  the  songs  of  the 
nightingales  of  the  aviary  in  satisfying  the  senses.  There 
were  arbors  so  sheltered  by  vines  that  one  could  watch 
the  gondolas  on  the  blue  waters  and  be  quite  unseen,  and 
the  lovely  view  was  fitly  crowned  by  the  purple  mountains 
in  the  distance. 

Beroviero  was  fortunate  in  all  the  circumstances  of  his 
life.  His  beautiful  wife  was  a  wealthy  lady  of  Milan. 
His  son,  Marino,  was  of  great  promise,  and  his  two 
daughters  were  lovely  girls,  who  had  inherited  their 
mother's  beauty  and  their  father's  intellect.  But  one 
sorrow  had  penetrated  even  here.  The  eldest,  Felicia, 
from  a  fall  in  childhood,  had  weakened  her  spine, 
and  was  forced  to  spend  much  of  her  life  in  a  recumbent 
position. 

When  Buona,  the  younger,  reached  a  marriageable  age, 
there  were  many  suitors  for  her  hand  among  the  young 
nobles  of  Venice.  One  day  when  Signor  Beroviero  was 
very  busy,  his  wife  sent  him  a  note:  — 

Hasten  home.  I  am  in  a  great  perplexity.  The  two 
young  nobles,  Da  Canale  and  Mocenigo,  have  come  separately 


132  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

to  sue  for  Buona.  Mocenigo  was  first,  and  he  is  with  me  and 
Buona  now;  and  we  have  put  Da  Canale  in  another  room  to 
talk  to  Felicia.  Hasten  to  our  rescue!  Your  wife. 

Most  impatient  at  the  interruption,  Beroviero  left  his 
counting-house. 

Meanwhile  the  comedy  was  played  by  his  wife  and 
daughters.  Signora  Beroviero  had  heard  that  Buona  was 
much  admired,  and  her  father  had  already  received  sev- 
eral offers  for  her  hand,  to  which  he  had  replied  that  his 
daughter  should  be  won,  not  sold.  Acting  on  this  hint, 
these  two  young  men  had  come  to  win  her  if  possible.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Great  Council,  and  of  high  position. 
Mocenigo  had  been  shown  to  the  drawing-room,  and 
received  by  Signora  Beroviero  and  Buona.  Before  the 
usual  compliments  were  exchanged,  Da  Canale  arrived, 
and  was  taken  to  a  charming  room  opening  on  the  garden, 
where  Felicia  was  busy  with  her  embroidery.  He  was 
splendidly  attired,  and  had  evidently  come  on  a  visit  of 
importance.  He  displayed  some  impatience,  as  he  threw 
off  his  cloak,  and  saw  his  companion;  but  Felicia  enter- 
tained him  as  best  she  could  until  her  father  came,  and 
held  him  in  conversation  until  Mocenigo,  who  had  been  told 
of  the  presence  of  his  rival,  could  retreat,  —  for  Signora 
Beroviero  had  set  her  heart  on  Mocenigo  for  her  son-in- 
law.  But  Buona  was  of  quite  another  opinion,  and  in 
spite  of  all  the  praises  of  him  that  she  heard  she  refused  to 
marry  him ;  and  when  her  mother  appealed  to  the  father, 
his  only  reply  was,  "  She  is  free  to  marry  as  she  chooses. " 

Just  at  this  time  Beroviero  received  an  order  from  the 
Doge  for  a  collection  of  glass  to  be  presented  to  the 
Emperor  Frederick  III.  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit  to 
Venice.  This  caused  a  great  excitement.  The  father, 
son,  and  three  advanced  apprentices  were  constantly  in 
solemn  conclave.  Among  these  last  was  one  Giorgio, 
who,  although  the  senior,  had  made  small  advance  in  his 


MURANO  AND  THE  GLASS-MAKERS.  133 

art.  When  the  important  matter  in  hand  was  well  under- 
stood, and  a  proper  part  assigned  to  each  one,  all  the 
resources  of  the  manufactory  were  devoted  to  making  a 
grand  display  of  Venetian  skill  in  color  and  design. 

Other  glass-workers  were  filled  with  jealousy  of  Bero- 
viero,  when  the  truth  about  this  order  was  known;  and 
this  feeling  was  not  lessened  by  the  magnificent  display 
which  was  soon  made  in  the  window  of  his  shop  in 
Venice.  Naturally  many  strangers  came  hither  on 
account  of  the  proposed  visit  of  the  Emperor,  and  all  the 
tradesmen  of  the  city  were  making  their  shops  as  attrac- 
tive as  possible ;  but  no  other  drew  such  crowds  of  gazers 
as  that  of  Beroviero,  now  that  the  gift  from  the  Doge  to 
the  Emperor  was  on  exhibition.  A  large  vase  glowed  like 
a  magnificent  ruby ;  white  flowers,  as  delicate  and  natural 
as  if  actually  growing,  twined  around  a  vase  of  glorious 
blue ;  while  cups  and  wineglasses  of  exquisite  shape  and 
ethereal  thinness  were  in  contrast  to  goblets  heavy  with 
gold  and  enamel.  But  the  chief  object  was  a  lace-work 
goblet,  such  as  was  never  made  elsewhere.  It  was  the 
most  wonderful  of  all  the  Venetian  glasses,  and  so  fragile 
was  it  that  its  construction  was  a  mystery.  Marsh  gives 
this  account  of  the  method :  — 

"In  manufacturing  it  the  workman  first  of  all  placed  threads 
of  opaque  glass  round  the  inside  of  a  mould  made  of  charcoal. 
Then  he  dipped  his  rod  into  a  pot  of  molten  glass,  and  blew  a 
drop  out  within  the  mould  until  it  touched  the  opaque  threads, 
which  at  once  adhered  to  the  outer  surface  of  the  glass.  The 
goblet  so  blown  was  as  thin  as  the  white  film  of  an  egg.  Then 
a  second  goblet  was  blown,  and  the  opaque  threads  were  made  to 
adhere  on  the  inner  surface  of  the  glass,  running  in  a  reverse 
direction  to  those  which  adhered  to  the  outer  surface  of  the  first 
goblet.  Thus  the  workman  obtained  two  goblets,  the  outside  of 
one  and  the  inner  side  of  the  other,  bearing  the  opaque  threads  of 
glass.  Having  secured  this  object,  he  next  proceeded  to  place 


134  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

one  glass  inside  the  other.  At  the  moment  the  threads  of  opaque 
glass  touched  one  another  they  adhered,  imprisoning  in  the  centre 
of  each  diamond,  formed  by  the  threads  crossing  one  another,  a 
fine  bubble  of  air.  The  body  of  the  goblet  was  covered  with 
these  diamonds,  the  air  bubble  appearing  in  the  centre  of  each. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  goblet  was  composed  of  two 
distinct  casings,  yet,  when  they  were  united,  the  two  presented 
a  body  not  half  as  thick  as  an  ordinary  wafer.  This  species  of 
glass  was  the  most  exquisite  that  Venice  ever  produced." 

Beroviero  had  been  invited  to  be  present  when  the 
Emperor  received  this  gift  on  which  so  much  thought  and 
labor  had  been  lavished;  and  at  length  the  day  arrived. 
The  Emperor,  with  his  young  bride,  Elenora  of  Portugal, 
with  a  great  assemblage  of  the  rank  and  beauty  of  Venice, 
and  many  noble  visitors,  were  gathered  in  the  great  hall 
of  the  Ducal  Palace,  where  the  Doge  and  high  officials 
received  them.  Beroviero,  his  wife,  son,  and  Buona,  with 
representatives  from  some  rival  glass-works,  were  also 
there. 

First  the  Doge  presented  to  the  Empress  a  crown  set 
with  jewels,  and  many  other  costly  articles  of  attire. 
He  then  offered  to  the  Emperor  the  splendid  service  of 
glass ;  to  which  his  Majesty  gave  but  slight  attention,  even 
while  the  Doge  was  describing  its  beauty  and  value.  The 
Emperor  replied  in  a  cold  and  haughty  tone ;  and  while  he 
was  thus  expressing  his  thanks,  his  court-jester  executed 
a  pirouette,  and  hit  the  tray  containing  the  glass,  which 
fell  to  the  ground,  shivered  into  numberless  pieces.  The 
Emperor  exclaimed,  "Had  they  been  of  gold  or  silver, 
that  calamity  could  not  have  happened ! " 

Tbe  faces  of  the  Doge  and  of  the  whole  assembly 
expressed  their  horror  and  anger;  and  the  Emperor  begged 
to  be  allowed  to  order  another  set.  But  the  Doge  replied, 
"  Venice  does  not  sell  her  gifts ! " 

His  Majesty  offered  large   sums,  but  no   glass-maker 


MURANO  AND  THE   GLASS-MAKERS.  135 

would  undertake  to  replace  what  had  been  destroyed ;  and 
on  the  next  day  the  Emperor  departed,  while  the  episode 
of  the  glass-breaking  was  the  general  topic  of  conversation 
in  all  Venice. 

Beroviero  was  filled  with  surprise  and  rage,  while  his 
rivals  ridiculed  him  beyond  endurance.  The  apprentices 
and  workmen  took  sides  with  their  masters,  and  fierce 
encounters  took  place  between  those  of  Beroviero  and 
those  of  other  factories.  From  that  day  Angelo  Beroviero 
was  a  different  man.  He  neglected  his  business,  involved 
himself  in  quarrels,  and  was  morose  and  irritable  at 
home. 

And  now  the  dull,  inattentive  Giorgio  came  to  the 
front,  and  challenged  the  senior  apprentices  of  the  princi- 
pal rival  establishments  of  Riva,  Marcelli,  and  Gritti  to  a 
gondola  tournament.  The  latter  declined;  but  two  con- 
tests would  take  place,  and  a  day  was  fixed.  Beroviero 
heard  of  this  with  pleasure,  and  was  grateful  to  Giorgio 
for  this  dignified  method  of  showing  himself  the  friend  of 
his  master. 

On  the  appointed  day  hundreds  of  gondolas  were  off 
Murano,  while  crowds  stood  on  the  shore,  and  every  bal- 
cony was  filled  with  ladies  and  gentlemen,  all  anxious  to 
see  the  contest.  Each  combatant  was  allowed  an  assist- 
ant to  propel  his  gondola.  This  was  usually  the  youngest 
apprentice ;  and  with  Giorgio  was  Hector,  a  boy  of  four- 
teen, and  a  very  skilful  oarsman.  He  stood  in  the  stern, 
while  Giorgio  was  on  the  prow,  bearing  a  leather  shield 
and  a  blunt-headed  lance.  On  the  prow  was  a  figure  of 
an  angel,  while  the  rival  boats  carried  their  symbols  of 
an  anchor  and  a  dolphin.  Felicia  could  witness  the  whole 
sport  from  her  window;  but  Buona,  with  their  maid 
Giannetta,  was  on  the  shore. 

At  last  two  gondolas  shot  out  from  the  crowd  of  boats, 
and  sped  quickly  towards  a  post  moored  at  some  distance 


136  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

in  the  open  water.  As  Giorgio,  lightly  clad,  stood  on  the 
prow  of  the  Angel,  and  approached  the  other  gondola 
decorated  with  an  anchor,  the  symbol  of  the  house  of  the 
Riva,  it  was  easily  seen  that  the  other  apprentice,  who 
was  of  heavy  build,  and  handled  his  lance  awkwardly,  was 
no  match  for  Giorgio.  As  they  neared  the  post,  there  was 
much  applause ;  and  as  Giorgio  turned  his  eyes  towards 
his  master's  garden,  he  saw  a  handkerchief  waving  in  the 
hand  of  Buona,  who,  as  she  saw  the  contest  about  to 
begin,  exclaimed,  "Now  God  and  Saint  Mark  be  with 
him!"  Hearing  this,  her  maid,  Giannetta,  uttered  a 
little  scream,  for  her  mistress  had  put  her  own  thought  in 
words,  and  blushing  she  said  that  she  had  stepped  on  a 
sharp  stone  and  hurt  her  foot;  but  in  that  moment 
Buona  knew  that  the  maid  loved  Giorgio,  and  Giannetta 
feared  that  her  mistress  cherished  a  like  sentiment. 

The  two  gondolas  were  now  advancing  towards  each 
other.  The  lances  were  lowered,  the  boats  met  and  then 
separated,  and  it  was  seen  that  the  gondola  with  the 
anchor  at  the  prow  was  empty.  Both  the  champion  and 
his  rower  were  gone.  Giorgio  had  parried  the  opponent's 
lance,  and  putting  his  own  lance  between  the  legs  of  his 
enemy,  had  toppled  him  into  the  water,  and  then,  as  the 
lightened  gondola  passed  him,  a  vigorous  push  in  the 
breast  of  the  rower  had  sent  him  splashing  after  his  com- 
panion. These  achievements  were  warmly  applauded  by 
the  crowd  on  shore;  and  a  number  of  boats,  full  of  his 
friends,  quickly  surrounded  that  of  Giorgio  to  congratulate 
him  on  his  success. 

By  the  usual  rules  of  combat  the  victor  was  entitled  to 
an  hour  for  repose  before  meeting  his  next  opponent ;  but 
Giorgio  signified  his  readiness  to  begin  again  at  once, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  the  gondola,  with  a  dolphin  as  its 
symbol,  and  an  apprentice  of  the  Marcel li  on  its  prow, 
rowed  up  to  the  starting-post.  The  second  champion  was 


MURANO  AND  THE  GLASS-MAKERS.  137 

far  superior  to  the  first ;  but  after  one  or  two  slight  thrusts 
from  the  lances,  Giorgio  profited  by  a  fortunate  moment, 
and  hurled  the  second  opponent  into  the  water.  Now  was 
he  a  hero  indeed,  and  all  possible  honors  were  shown  him 
by  his  friends  and  even  by  his  superiors.  He  had  estab- 
lished a  claim  to  the  championship  of  all  the  gondoliers 
of  Murano,  with  which  the  Berovieri  were  as  well  pleased 
as  he. 

This  day  had  revealed  Buona  to  herself,  and  she  was 
horrified  to  find  that  she  was  a  rival  to  her  own  maid  in 
the  affections  of  a  poor  apprentice.  She  determined  to 
stifle  this  unworthy  sentiment;  but  so  difficult  did  she 
find  her  task  that  physicians  soon  were  summoned  to 
account  for  her  blanched  cheeks,  and  restore  her  to  health. 
Mocenigo,  with  her  parents'  consent,  strove  to  arouse  her 
to  an  interest  in  life ;  but  all  was  useless,  and  when  fully 
convinced  of  her  utter  indifference  to  him,  he  quietly 
ceased  to  visit  her,  and  she  soon  entered  a  convent. 

She  confided  her  secret  grief  to  her  confessor  alone, 
and  never  regretted  the  gay  life  she  might  have  led  at 
Venice  as  the  bride  of  some  young  noble.  As  years  went 
on,  and  the  poor  sought  aid  at  her  convent  in  their  sea- 
sons of  sorrow  and  suffering,  the  name  of  Suora  Buona 
was  that  most  frequently  on  their  lips. 

From  the  day  of  the  tournament  Giorgio  became  seri- 
ously attentive  to  his  business,  and  before  very  long  he 
presented  his  master  with  a  goblet,  asking  him  to  accept 
his  first  discovery.  Beroviero  examined  it  with  curious 
delight.  The  inside  was  perfectly  smooth,  while  the  out- 
side was  covered  with  a  thousand  irregular  cracks,  and 
the  whole  looked  as  if  it  had  been  frosted.  Beroviero 
was  filled  with  surprise,  and  declared  the  goblet  to  be 
beautiful  and  entirely  new. 

Giorgio  explained  that  his  discovery  was  an  accident, 
as  most  discoveries  are.  He  had  observed  the  effect  on  a 


138  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

drop  of  hot  glass  when  it  fell  into  the  water.  It  became 
crackled  and  frosted,  and  he  at  once  tried  the  same  thing 
on  his  goblet.  Beroviero  assured  Giorgio  that  his  dis- 
covery would  prove  of  great  value,  and  promised  to  take 
the  young  man  to  the  palace,  that  he  might  show  the  gob- 
let to  the  Doge.  But  that  very  evening  the  old  glass- 
maker  was  attacked  by  masked  thieves  as  he  was  floating 
in  his  gondola,  and  survived  his  wounds  but  a  few  hours. 

Marino,  who  succeeded  his  father,  claimed  Giorgio's 
invention  as  the  property  of  the  firm,  as  Giorgio  was  still 
an  apprentice ,  and  the  courts  decided  in  his  favor.  Thus 
Marino  had  the  sole  right  to  make  crackled  glass;  and 
Giorgio,  driven  to  desperation  by  this  injustice,  stole  the 
book  in  which  Angelo  Beroviero  had  written  out  all  his 
methods  and  discoveries,  and  made  an  exact  copy  of  it. 
This  he  sold  to  another  firm,  and  with  the  proceeds  set 
up  a  factory  of  his  own.  He  married  Giannetta,  and 
seemed  to  have  a  promising  future  before  him ;  but  what- 
ever he  undertook  ended  unfortunately.  The  theft  by 
which  he  thought  to  found  a  fortune  was  heavy  on  his 
conscience,  and  to  it  he  attributed  all  his  unhappiness. 
But  under  his  son  the  Ballerini  (Giorgio  was  called 
Ballerino  in  derision)  became  celebrated,  and  attained 
great  eminence  as  glass-makers. 

When  Buona  entered  the  convent,  Felicia  devoted  her- 
self to  making  an  altar-cloth,  in  which  she  used  the  most 
costly  materials  that  she  could  procure.  The  design  was 
that  of  the  Crucifixion.  Three  years  she  labored  on  it,  and 
at  last  all  was  completed  save  the  crown  of  thorns.  She  had 
constantly  grown  more  and  more  fragile ;  and  one  evening, 
as  the  sun  was  setting,  she  called  her  mother,  saying, 
"  See,  dear  mother,  the  end  is  come.  I  have  pointed  the 
last  thorn  in  His  earthly  crown." 

As  she  ceased  speaking,  her  head  drooped,  and  she  was 
dead.  She  was  buried  beneath  the  altar  of  the  convent 


MUKANO  AND  THE   GLASS-MAKEES.  139 

church,  and  her  exquisite  embroidery  served  both  as  a 
cloth  for  the  altar  and  a  monument  to  her  who  had 
wrought  it  in  loving  faith. 

Marino  Beroviero  maintained  the  reputation  of  his 
family,  and  made  still  further  advances  in  his  art.  His 
business  was  extensive  and  prosperous,  and  a  few  years 
after  his  father's  death  he  married  the  sister  of  Mocenigo, 
the  former  suitor  of  Buona. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MARINO   FALIEBO;  VETTORE   PISANI   AND   CARLO   ZENO. 

IN  the  autumn  of  1354,  Marino  Faliero  of  San  Apostoli, 
Count  of  Valdemarino,  although  seventy-six  years  old, 
and  having  already  served  the  Republic  in  several  impor- 
tant offices,  was  elected  Doge.  At  this  time  he  was 
Venetian  Legate  at  Avignon,  and  an  envoy  extraordinary 
was  sent  to  inform  him  of  his  election  and  attend  him  on 
his  return.  At  Verona  lie  was  met  by  an  escort  of  honor, 
and  the  Bucentaur  awaited  him  at  Chioggia,  that  he  might 
make  his  entrance  into  Venice  as  became  his  dignity ;  but 
as  the  State  barge  neared  the  city,  a  dense  fog  made  it 
unsafe  to  proceed  with  so  large  a  ship,  and  the  ducal 
party  was  forced  to  take  small  boats  to  land.  The  gon- 
dola in  which  Faliero  was  seated  drew  up  at  the  Molo, 
exactly  between  the  Columns  of  Executions,  which  was 
thought  by  the  Venetians  to  be  a  sinister  augury  in  the 
beginning  of  a  reign,  and  was  frequently  recalled  in  later 
years. 

During  the  forty-two  years  in  which  Faliero  had  filled 
positions  of  honor,  at  home  and  abroad,  he  had  become 
accustomed  to  deciding  important  questions  on  his  own 
responsibility ;  his  life  had  not  prepared  him  to  be  a  lay 
figure  and  enjoy  it,  and  he  soon  found  that  a  Doge  was 
now  little  more  than  this.  Faliero,  too,  was  of  a  quick 
temper,  and  had  not  hesitated  to  box  the  ears  of  a  bishop 
who  had  kept  him  waiting  on  a  public  occasion  when  he 
was  Podest&  at  Treviso.  He  was  vigorous  in  health  and 


MARINO  FALIERO.  141 

youthful  in  feeling,  and  had  married,  late  in  life,  a  sec- 
ond wife,  who  was  young  and  beautiful ;  and  his  jealousy 
led  him  to  believe  that  she  was  admired  and  coveted  by 
every  gentleman  who  had  the  privilege  of  her  acquaint- 
ance. Naturally,  her  position  as  Dogaressa  brought  her 
in  contact  with  all  the  nobility  of  Venice,  and  the  gay 
and  dashing  young  cavaliers  soon  discovered  the  weakness 
of  the  old  husband. 

On  Carnival  Thursday,  April  2,  1355,  the  old-time 
ceremony  of  immolating  an  ox  and  twelve  boar-pigs, 
which  symbolized  the  Patriarch  of  Aquileia  and  his 
canons,  was  celebrated  in  the  Piazza,  which  was  filled 
with  a  brilliant  assemblage ;  the  court  looked  on  from  the 
palace  windows,  and  later  the  Dogaressa  gave  a  magnifi- 
cent entertainment  to  the  rank  and  beauty  of  Venice.  In 
the  course  of  the  festivities  a  knot  of  gay  young  fellows 
who  surrounded  the  maids  of  honor  grew  boisterous,  and 
indulged  a  freedom  of  conduct  which  aroused  the  wrath  of 
the  Doge.  He  singled  Michele  Steno  as  the  victim  of  his 
displeasure,  and  commanded  his  exclusion  from  the  scene. 

Steno,  full  of  mortification  and  rage,  sought  his  revenge, 
and  before  leaving  the  palace,  managed  to  write,  on  the 
chair  of  the  Doge,  a  most  insulting  taunt,  which  naturally 
roused  him  to  fury.  Steno  was  brought  before  the  Forty, 
and  sentenced  to  prison  for  two  months  and  to  exile  for  a 
year.  This  lenient  punishment  was  regarded  by  Faliero  as 
a  more  serious  cause  of  complaint  than  the  insult  itself  had 
been,  and  he  demanded  that  Steno  should  come  before  the 
Ten  and  receive  a  severe  sentence,  —  if  not  death,  at  least 
perpetual  banishment.  But  the  age  of  the  culprit,  who 
might  have  been  Faliero's  grandson,  and  the  considera- 
tion that  his  offence  was  a  folly  rather  than  a  crime, 
precluded  such  severity ;  and  the  old  Doge  was  reminded 
that  before  the  court  he  was  but  the  equal  of  the  poorest 
gondolier  on  the  canals. 


142  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Faliero  cursed  the  patricians  and  the  laws  which  had 
made  the  head  of  the  Republic  so  helpless ;  and  just  then 
the  admiral  of  the  Arsenal  complained  to  him  of  an 
insult  which  he  had  received,  and  demanded  redress. 
Faliero  replied  with  bitterness  that  he  could  not  obtain 
for  others  the  justice  which  was  denied  him.  One  thing 
led  to  another,  until  the  admiral  darkly  hinted  at  a 
revenge  which  would  overturn  the  present  condition  of 
affairs  and  give  the  Doge  more  power.  The  two  men  soon 
understood  each  other,  and  when  they  parted  were  already 
conspirators  against  the  State.  Immediately  they  made 
a  plan  for  a  revolution ;  each  sought  to  enlist  his  friends 
in  the  conspiracy,  and  soon  about  twenty  were  pledged  to 
its  aid. 

The  months  that  had  passed  since  Faliero  had  been  but 
a  figure-head  to  that  republic  in  which  he  had  hitherto 
been  a  leading  spirit,  had  brought  him  continual  mortifi- 
cation and  suffering.  He  had  returned  to  Venice  in  proud 
triumph,  having  received  the  highest  honor  that  the  State 
could  confer,  which  should  be  the  crown  and  glory  of  his 
life.  He  had  come  to  rule,  but  he  had  found  the  palace 
little  less  than  a  prison,  his  power  a  myth,  and  his  con- 
dition a  sort  of  gilded  bondage.  His  opinion  was  domi- 
nated by  that  of  the  Ten;  and  even  the  giovinastri  who 
paraded  their  youth  and  their  finery  in  the  Broglio  could 
laugh  him  to  ridicule,  and  insult  him  unpunished. 

The  plot  of  the  Doge  and  his  sympathizers  was  badly 
and  hastily  devised.  They  believed  that  in  ten  days  six 
hundred  and  fifty  poniards  would  be  at  their  service ;  and 
on  the  15th  of  April,  amid  cries  of  "Viva  il  Principe 
Faliero,"  the  members  of  the  obnoxious  order  were  to  be 
sacrificed  as  they  gathered  in  the  Piazza,  the  tocsin  hav- 
ing been  rung,  and  a  false  report  of  the  arrival  of  a 
Genoese  fleet  off  the  Lido  occupying  their  minds.  Not  a 
suspicion  of  the  insurrection  existed,  and  even  the  fol- 


MARINO  FALIERO.  143 

lowers  of  the  chief  conspirators  did  not  know  what  they 
were  to  do ;  they  were  simply  to  obey  when  commanded. 

But,  as  usually  happens,  when  the  time  drew  near,  one 
of  the  conspirators  had  his  own  reasons  for  betraying  the 
plot.  In  this  case  it  was  Beltramo,  the  skinner,  who 
wished  to  save  his  especial  patron,  Lioni,  who,  being  of 
quick  wit,  at  the  first  hint  from  Beltraino  had  him 
arrested,  and  hastened  to  the  palace  to  disclose  his  fears 
and  suspicions  to  the  Doge.  Faliero  made  light  of  them, 
but  in  so  awkward  and  embarrassed  a  manner  as  to  arouse 
fresh  misgivings  where  he  endeavored  to  allay  them ;  and 
Lioni,  taking  two  other  nobles  with  him,  returned  for  a 
second  examination  of  Beltramo,  who  now  exposed  the 
whole  plot,  taking  care,  however,  to  conceal  the  part 
which  Faliero  had  in  it. 

The  news  was  carried  to  the  Ten  at  once.  They  too 
had  heard  a  similar  report,  and  were  suspicious  that  some 
leaders  of  very  exalted  position  were  involved  in  the  con- 
spiracy. The  tribunal  summoned  all  its  members  to  an 
extra  sitting,  omitting  only  Niccolo  Faliero^  nephew  of  the 
Doge.  Decisive  measures  were  taken  at  once ;  the  city 
was  put  under  martial  law,  and  the  conspirators  were 
arrested  to  the  number  of  twenty  or  more.  Ten  of  these 
were  hanged  at  the  casements  of  the  palace  two  days  before 
the  rising  was  to  have  taken  place ;  one  of  the  Falieri  was 
imprisoned,  and  a  Calendario  was  banished  for  life.  Some 
names  were  entered  on  the  Register  of  the  Suspected; 
some  of  the  suspected  were  set  at  liberty  as  blameless, 
and  others  received  minor  punishments. 

In  the  course  of  all  these  proceedings  the  truth  concern- 
ing Faliero  had  become  known,  and  on  April  16  he  was 
conducted  to  the  Chamber  of  the  Great  Council,  attired  in 
his  robes  of  state,  and  was  there  accused  of  treason.  He 
made  no  plea  of  denial,  but  acknowledged  all,  and  declared 
himself  the  worst  of  criminals.  The  question  of  his  pun- 


144  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

ishment  was  put  to  vote,  and  but  one  suffrage  was  cast  in 
favor  of  his  life.  His  sentence  was  delivered:  "Marino 
Faliero,  being  convicted  of  conspiring  against  the  Consti- 
tution, should  be  taken  to  the  head  of  the  grand  staircase 
of  St.  Mark's,  and  there,  being  stripped  of  the  ducal 
bonnet  and  the  other  emblems  of  his  dignity,  should  be 
decapitated. "  The  Doge  was  then  led  back  to  the  palace, 
maintaining  his  composure  with  heroic  determination. 

The  next  morning  he  was  again  led  to  the  Great  Coun- 
cil Chamber,  where  a  body  of  councillors,  decemvirs,  and 
advocates  surrounded  him  and  attended  him  to  the  place 
of  execution.  To  the  vast  concourse  of  all  conditions  of 
men  who  were  there  assembled,  the  Doge  made  an  address 
which  was  received  in  an  awful  stillness.  He  implored 
the  forgiveness  of  the  Venetians,  and  declared  his  sen- 
tence to  be  just. 

His  crown  and  ducal  robes  were  then  removed,  and 
replaced  by  a  black  cloak  and  cap.  His  head  was  severed 
from  his  body  at  a  single  stroke,  and  the  mutilated 
remains  were  viewed  by  thousands,  in  San  Marco,  before 
the  burial.  This  occurred  at  the  church  of  SS.  Giovanni 
e  Paolo,  the  "Zanipolo"  which  we  all  know  so  well,  either 
through  visits  or  books ;  there  Faliero  was  secretly  buried, 
and  no  inscription  told  those  who  walked  above  his  grave 
that^there  rest  had  been  found  for  the  body  of  the  fiery  old 
Doge.  The  Ten  simply  inscribed  upon  their  books  one 
sentence,  "LET  IT  NOT  BE  WRITTEN,"  and  his  portrait  was 
hung  in  the  Hall  of  the  Great  Council  after  his  death; 
but  twelve  years  later,  the  Ten  substituted  for  the  picture 
a  black  crape  veil  with  the  inscription,  "This  is  the  place 
of  Marino  Faliero,  beheaded  for  his  crimes."  Perhaps  no 
better  method  could  have  been  taken  to  keep  his  name 
alive  and  cause  his  story  to  be  repeated  from  one  genera- 
tion to  another,  ever  raising  the  question,  Was  it  a  crime  ? 
Is  not  Mrs.  Oliphant  near  the  truth  when  she  says, — 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  145 

"The  incident  altogether  points  more  to  a  sudden  outbreak  of 
the  rage  and  disappointment  of  an  old  public  servant  coming 
back  from  his  weary  labors  for  the  State,  in  triumph  and  satis- 
faction to  what  seemed  the  supreme  reward;  and  finding  himself 
no  more  than  a  puppet  in  the  hands  of  remorseless  masters,  sub- 
ject to  the  scoffs  of  the  younger  generation,  supreme  in  no  sense 
of  the  word,  and  with  his  eyes  opened  by  his  own  suffering,  per- 
ceiving for  the  first  time  what  justice  there  was  in  the  oft- 
repeated  protest  of  the  people,  and  how  they  and  he  alike  were 
crushed  under  the  iron  heel  of  that  oligarchy  to  which  the  power 
of  the  people  and  that  of  the  prince  was  equally  obnoxious." 

It  seems  like  the  irony  of  fate  that  the  informer, 
Beltramo,  should  have  been  rewarded  by  the  Ten  with  a 
thousand  ducats  and  the  privilege  of  wearing  arms,  while 
but  two  thousand  ducats  were  given  to  the  Doge's  family- 
out  of  all  his  vast  property.  But  Beltramo  considered  his 
claims  so  poorly  satisfied  that  he  outraged  the  Ten  by  his 
conduct  and  was  thrown  into  prison.  It  is  said  that  after 
his  liberation  he  was  assassinated  by  one  of  the  conspira- 
tors whom  he  had  betrayed. 


VETTORE   PISANI   AND   CARLO   ZENO. 

On  April  22,  1378,  the  Doge  Andrea  Contarini,  in  the 
Basilica  of  San  Marco,  invested  Pisani  with  the  supreme 
command  of  the  Venetian  fleet.  As  he  presented  the 
great  banner  to  him,  the  Doge  solemnly  said :  "You  are 
destined  by  God  to  defend  with  your  valor  this  Republic, 
and  to  retaliate  upon  those  who  have  dared  to  insult  her 
and  to  rob  her  of  that  security  which  she  owes  to  the  vir- 
tues of  our  progenitors.  Wherefore  we  confide  to  you  this 
victorious  and  dread  standard,  which  it  will  be  your  duty 
to  restore  to  us  unsullied  and  triumphant. " 

Pisani  was  fifty-four  years  old,  and  during  more  than 
half  his  life  had  been  in  the  active  service  of  the  Repub- 

10 


146  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

lie,  sometimes  in  its  naval  battles,  again  as  Governor  of 
Candia,  then  as  Captain  of  the  Gulf,  and  everywhere  suc- 
cessful. Now,  in  the  full  strength  of  middle  life,  he  was 
adored  by  the  common  people,  and  by  the  nobles  regarded 
with  that  hatred  which  is  born  of  envy. 

Two  days  after  receiving  his  command,  Pisani  sailed 
from  the  Lido  with  fourteen  galleys,  in  pursuit  of  the 
Genoese  fleet  under  Admiral  Fieschi.  Not  meeting  the 
enemy,  Pisani  boldly  sailed  up  the  Tuscan  sea,  spreading 
consternation  in  Genoa,  which  was  just  then  threatened 
with  an  attack  by  land.  But  Pisani  soon  sailed  away, 
and  met  Fieschi  on  May  30,  off  Porto  d'  Anzo. 

The  day  was  most  unpropitious  for  battle ;  the  sky  was 
covered  with  black,  angry-looking  clouds,  while  the  rain 
poured  down  in  torrents.  The  galleys  carried  no  sails, 
and  the  oars  were  frequently  high  in  air  on  one  side 
while  the  ship  rolled  in  the  sea  on  the  other.  The  men 
found  it  difficult  to  stand ;  and  when  the  vessels  met,  it 
was  dangerous  and  almost  impossible  to  pass  from  one  to 
another.  At  one  moment  two  ships  were  in  violent 
action,  side  by  side;  and  then,  quicker  than  it  can  be  told, 
a  mountainous  wave  raised  one  upon  its  crest  while  the 
other  was  buried  in  a  yawning  gulf. 

All  through  this  terrible  day  the  battle  raged,  and  at 
its  close  Pisani  was  victorious.  He  had  taken  or  sunk 
four  of  the  nine  Genoese  ships;  he  had  eight  hundred 
prisoners,  among  whom  was  Fieschi  himself.  Half  of 
them  were  sent  to  Candia,  and  half  to  Venice,  where  noble 
ladies  dressed  their  wounds,  and  tended  them  with  such 
charitable  piety  that  the  names  of  eight  of  their  number 
have  been  preserved  in  history. 

The  season  was  spent  by  Pisani  in  constantly  cruising 
in  search  of  another  Genoese  fleet  under  Luciano  Doria, 
and  in  making  a  series  of  brilliant  attacks  on  the  towns 
of  the  Hungarian  and  Greek  coasts.  He  was  also  sent  to 


VETTORE   PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  147 

escort  Valentina  Visconti  to  her  husband,  Peter  II.  of 
Cyprus;  and  in  the  autumn,  in  opposition  to  his  most 
earnest  wishes,  he  was  commanded  to  remain  at  that  island 
for  the  winter. 

Pisani's  lieutenant  was  Carlo  Zeno,  who  came  of  a 
family  noted  for  its  bravery.  He  was  ten  years  younger 
than  Pisani,  and  had  passed  his  life  in  adventures  worthy 
of  a  knight  of  fame;  indeed,  he  had  been  called  "Zeno 
the  Unconquered. "  He  also  had  scoured  the  sea  during 
the  summer  of  1378,  in  search  of  the  enemies  of  the 
Republic,  and  had  performed  feats  of  daring  and  skill. 
Like  Pisani,  he  often  acted  on  an  impulse  which  savored 
of  recklessness,  while  it  was  but  bravery.  Zeno  was  also 
a  scholar,  and  had  been  eminent  in  his  college  at  Padua ; 
but  his  besetting  sin  of  gambling  obliged  him  to  fly,  and 
his  after  life  had  been  one  long  romance,  until  he  entered 
the  service  of  Venice  in  1377. 

Pisani's  forebodings  for  the  winter  at  Cyprus  were  more 
than  realized;  and  in  the  spring  of  1379,  out  of  nineteen 
galleys  six  only  were  fit  for  service,  and  scarcely  men 
enough  to  man  these  were  still  alive.  But  his  personal 
friends  in  Venice  built  and  equipped  twelve  other  ships, 
so  that  his  fleet  numbered  eighteen  sail.  His  enemies 
were  busy  at  Venice ;  but  in  spite  of  them  and  in  spite  of 
his  absence,  he  was  confirmed  in  his  office,  and  Carlo  Zeno 
and  Michele  Steno  were  made  his  lieutenants. 

During  the  spring  Pisani  diligently  prosecuted  his 
search  for  the  Genoese  fleet  without  success;  but  on  the 
7th  of  May,  1379,  when  he  was  returning  from  Brindisi 
with  a  large  convoy  of  grain,  Doria,  with  twenty-five  sail, 
including  two  brigantines,  suddenly  presented  himself  in 
the  roads  of  Pola.  Pisani  had  many  good  reasons  for  not 
wishing  to  give  battle  to  the  Genoese  at  this  time:  his 
ships  were  fewer  than  Doria's ;  there  was  much  sickness 
among  his  men ;  Zeno  was  absent  on  another  expedition, 


148  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

and  he  thought  it  wiser  to  act  on  the  defensive  only.  But 
the  council  of  civilians  who  were  with  him  were  unani- 
mous in  favor  of  an  engagement,  and  even  hinted  at 
cowardice  in  Pisani,  whose  rage  at  this  injustice  was 
almost  uncontrollable,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
that  he  so  far  governed  himself  as  not  to  attack  his 
accusers. 

He  bade  his  captains  prepare  for  battle,  and  soon  all 
was  in  readiness.  Pisani,  in  full  armor,  standing  on  the 
stern  deck  addressed  his  men :  "  Remember,  my  brethren, 
that  those  who  now  face  you  are  the  same  whom  you  have 
vanquished  with  so  much  glory  on  the  Roman  shore.  Let 
not  the  name  of  Luciano  Doria  terrify  you ;  it  is  not  the 
names  of  commanders  that  will  decide  the  conflict,  but 
Venetian  hearts  and  Venetian  hands ! "  He  then  cried  out, 
"  He  that  loves  Saint  Mark,  let  him  follow  me ! "  and 
this  battle-cry  was  echoed  from  ship  to  ship. 

At  first  the  day  was  propitious  to  the  Venetians,  who 
fought  with  even  more  than  their  usual  intrepidity,  and 
victory  seemed  to  be  theirs,  when  the  Genoese  vessels 
began  a  retreat  and  Pisani  followed  in  pursuit.  After 
several  miles  had  thus  been  made,  and  the  Venetian  ships 
were  separated  from  each  other,  by  a  skilful  manoeuvre 
Doria  turned  about,  and  renewing  the  combat  with  great 
vigor  and  ferocity,  gained  a  complete  victory. 

From  seven  to  eight  hundred  Venetians  perished; 
twenty-four  hundred  were  made  prisoners,  and  but  six 
galleys  remained  afloat.  Near  the  end  of  the  conflict 
Doria  had  raised  his  visor,  exclaiming,  "The  foe  are 
already  vanquished;  the  battle  is  all  but  ours,"  when 
Donate  Zeno  plunged  his  lance  into  the  throat  of  the 
victorious  admiral,  killing  him  instantly. 

Venice  was  filled  with  consternation  and  surprise  when 
this  dreadful  news  was  known.  Her  only  fleet  was 
destroyed;  the  enemy  was  approaching  the  lagoons,  and 


.  of  -Siin  Marco;  Columns  of  Execution. 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  149 

Carlo  Zeno  was  far  away.  A  terrible  cry  was  raised 
against  Pisani ;  his  enemies  could  now  make  him  pay  for 
his  popularity  and  greatness  and  for  some  of  his  out- 
bursts of  temper  from  which  they  had  suffered,  and  they 
demanded  the  extreme  penalty.  He  was  brought  to  Ven- 
ice in  fetters,  and  was  not  permitted  to  speak  a  word  in 
self-defence.  In  July  it  was  moved  in  the  Senate  that  he 
be  beheaded  between  the  Columns;  but  with  a  shudder, 
this  motion  was  denied,  and  he  was  sentenced  to  prison 
for  six  months  and  to  exclusion  from  all  offices  for  five 
years. 

In  August  the  Genoese  fleet  appeared  before  Venice, 
under  the  command  of  Pietro  Doria.  Happily,  some 
preparations  had  been  made,  and  the  ports  of  Lido  and 
Malamocco  were  blocked  with  sunken  vessels,  chains,  and 
palisades,  but  that  of  Brondolo  was  still  open,  and  there 
the  enemy  entered.  Genoa  was  now  allied  with  Hungary, 
Naples,  Padua,  Aquileia,  Austria,  and  Ancona  against 
Venice.  Twenty-four  thousand  men  were  landed,  and 
siege  laid  to  the  citadel  of  Chioggia.  The  Venetians  who 
held  the  place  under  Pietro  Emo  were  not  more  than 
thirty-five  hundred;  for  six  days  these  brave  men  held  out 
against  such  fearful  odds,  and  even  then  were  defeated  by 
accident.  Hazlitt  gives  a  picturesque  description  of  the 
event : — 

"  On  the  16th  an  alarm  was  suddenly  spread  among  the  troops 
of  the  Podesta  that  the  bridge  behind  them  was  in  flames.  It 
was  a  fireship,  of  which  the  combustion  in  the  canal  of  Santa 
Caterina  had  diffused  the  erroneous  impression.  The  Genoese 
caught  and  echoed  the  cry,  and  renewed  their  flagging  exertions 
with  fresh  ardor.  They  are  mowed  down  by  the  guns  as  they 
advance;  the  carnage  is  terrific.  Still,  like  demons  in  whose 
breast  the  thirst  for  vengeance  and  the  lust  of  spoil  has  extin- 
guished the  fear  of  death,  they  continue  to  come  up.  The  Ve- 
netians begin  to  lose  ground  and  to  fall  back  upon  the  bridge. 


150  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADKIATIC. 

They  recede  a  little  and  a  little  more.  It  is  in  vain  that  Emo 
and  fifty  chosen  men-at-arms  dispute  the  front  with  desperate 
tenacity  and  transcendent  heroism,  foot  to  foot  and  hand  to  hand. 
The  position  is  slowly  forced.  The  allies  are  upon  the  bridge. 
The  Venetians  quicken  their  retrograde  pace.  In  their  haste 
they  omit  to  destroy  the  communication;  and  they  enter  the 
gates  pell-mell  with  their  pursuers.  Thus  Chioggia  fell." 

The  allies  and  Venetians  had  each  lost  many  men,  and 
nearly  four  thousand  Venetians  were  prisoners.  The 
town  was  pillaged,  but  the  women  were  protected  from 
harm.  Some  of  the  Venetians  paid  enormous  ransoms,  — 
Emo  three  thousand  ducats ;  and  others  probably  as  much, 
so  that  the  gain  to  the  allies  was  large. 

No  words  can  portray  the  effect  of  the  news  of  the  fall 
of  Chioggia  at  Venice.  The  bell  of  the  Campanile  was 
tolled,  and  at  once  the  armed  citizens  filled  the  Piazza. 
The  sobs  and  moans  of  women  were  heard ;  elsewhere  they 
were  seen  wringing  their  hands  and  tearing  their  hair  in 
mute  despair.  Some  men,  too,  yielded  to  fear;  while 
others  in  their  avarice  hid  their  treasures.  But  the 
majority  were  true  Venetians,  and  declared  that  "the 
State  cannot  be  lost  while  those  remain  who  can  man  a 
galley  and  handle  a  pike ; "  and  the  aged  Doge,  the  Coun- 
cil, and  Senate  refused  to  allow  any  reason  for  despair. 
There  was  a  scarcity  of  food,  and  the  Republic  was  much 
straitened  in  its  resources;  but  Venetian  fidelity  would 
endure  everything  before  it  would  submit  to  defeat. 

Nothing  had  been  known  of  Carlo  Zeno  since  his  sepa- 
ration from  Pisani ;  his  arrival  would  turn  the  scale,  and 
he  might  come  any  day,  since  an  envoy  had  been  sent  to 
recall  him,  and  before  taking  any  further  warlike  meas- 
ures it  was  determined  to  try  negotiation.  But  Doria, 
who  almost  felt  that  at  Chioggia  he  had  conquered  Ven- 
ice, replied :  "  By  God's  faith,  my  Lords  of  Venice,  ye 
shall  have  no  peace  from  the  Lord  of  Padua  or  from  our 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  151 

Commune  of  Genoa  until  I  have  put  a  bit  into  the  mouths 
of  the  horses  of  your  Evangelist  Saint  Mark.  When  they 
have  been  bridled,  you  shall  then,  in  sooth,  have  a  good 
peace;  and  this  is  our  purpose,  and  that  of  our  Commune." 
Some  Genoese  prisoners  had  been  sent  with  the  embassy, 
and  their  unconditional  surrender  offered  as  a  bait  to  the 
allies ;  but  Doria  scornfully  sent  them  back,  saying  that 
in  a  few  days  he  would  come  to  release  them  and  the  rest 
of  his  countrymen. 

Then  all  Venice  was  roused ;  the  bell  which  summoned 
the  popular  assembly  was  rung,  and  the  people  were 
informed  of  their  present  peril,  and  invited  to  aid  the 
government  with  wisdom  and  advice.  There  was,  how- 
ever, but  one  opinion;  all  desired  to  arm  and  go  forth 
with  such  galleys  as  were  at  the  Arsenal,  —  they  thought  it 
better  to  perish  in  defence  of  Venice  than  to  perish  in  her 
palaces  and  squares  from  want.  A  terrible  crisis  followed : 
all  salaries  were  suspended;  no  business  was  done;  and 
by  a  new  loan,  to  which  the  citizens  liberally  subscribed, 
the  finances  were  bettered.  The  city  was  fortified  by 
earthworks  from  Lido  to  Santo  Spirito,  and  towers  were 
erected  on  each  side  the  pass  of  San  Niccolo. 

A  new  captain-general  was  now  to  be  elected,  and  the 
favorite  of  the  government,  Taddeo  Giustiniani,  was  nomi- 
nated; but  the  people  with  one  accord  refused  to  serve 
under  any  man  save  Vettore  Pisani.  After  a  day's  debate, 
late  in  the  evening  some  Senators  were  deputed  to  inform 
Pisani  that  the  Doge  and  Senate  were  awaiting  him. 
Naturally  the  hero  was  much  moved ;  and  he  replied  that 
he  preferred  to  have  the  night  for  reflection,  and  to  wait 
on  the  Seigniory  the  next  morning. 

Accordingly,  at  daybreak,  the  delegates,  followed  by 
the  people,  came  to  the  gates  of  the  prison;  and  when 
he  appeared  with  his  usual  cheerful  and  good-humored 
aspect,  he  was  lifted  by  some  of  his  old  sailors  and  borne 


152  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

on  their  shoulders  to  the  palace,  amid  cries  of  "Viva  il 
Nostro  Vettore !  Viva  Vettore  Pisani ! "  but  he  chidingly 
cried,  "Viva  San  Marco!"  The  Doge  and  senators  met 
him  on  the  staircase  and  graciously  welcomed  him.  Mass 
was  celebrated.  Pisani  was  some  time  in  conclave  with 
the  College,  the  people  constantly  shouting  his  name  out- 
side ;  and  when  he  emerged  he  was  borne,  as  he  had  come, 
to  his  own  house  in  San  Fantino,  where  he  had  not  been 
for  fifteen  months. 

As  he  was  passing  the  Campanile,  his  old  pilot,  Cor- 
baro,  drew  near  to  him  and  shouted  out,  "Now  is  the 
time,  Compadre,  for  revenging  yourself  by  seizing  the 
dictatorship  of  this  city.  Behold,  all  are  at  your  service ; 
all  are  willing  at  this  very  instant  to  proclaim  you  prince, 
if  you  choose!"  Pisani  boiled  with  rage,  and  dealing 
Corbaro  a  heavy  blow  on  the  cheek,  burst  into  indig- 
nant speech,  and  at  last  exclaimed :  "  Let  none  who  wish 
me  well  say  Viva  Pisani !  but,  Viva  San  Marco ! "  and 
the  populace  then  shouted,  "Viva  San  Marco  e  Vettore 
Pisani !  Viva  il  Pisani,  ch'e  nostro  Padre ! "  and  the 
throng  was  so  dense  from  the  Piazza  to  San  Fantino  that 
not  another  man  could  have  found  room  to  stand. 

But  the  people  soon  learned  that  Pisani  had  merely 
been  given  the  command  of  the  Lido,  while  Giustiniani 
was  at  the  head  of  the  navy.  Then  a  great  tumult  arose ; 
and  although  the  government  alleged  that  Pisani  was 
needed  at  the  Lido,  the  people  to  the  number  of  fifty  thou- 
sand refused  to  embark  on  the  galleys  until  Vettore  Pisani 
was  made  captain-general  of  all  the  forces  of  the  Repub- 
lic by  sea  and  land.  The  matter  was  then  referred  to  the 
Ten,  who  were  awed  into  compliance ;  and  the  commission 
was  granted  as  desired,  and  this  but  four  days  after  the 
fall  of  Chioggia,  so  hastily  had  all  been  done. 

Meantime  the  allies  had  progressed  less  rapidly,  owing 
to  divisions  in  their  counsels;  but  they  had  pushed  for- 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  153 

ward  to  Malamocco,  and  there  erected  a  battery  within 
three  miles  of  the  capital.  Many  stray  shots  reached 
Santo  Spirito. 

Pisani  had  much  to  do  to  make  efficient  sailors  and 
soldiers  of  raw  recruits,  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  the 
city,  to  equip  between  twenty  and  thirty  skeletons  of 
galleys  which  were  at  the  Arsenal  and  were  ready  for  sea 
in  three  days,  and  to  attend  to  the  lists  of  the  volunteers. 
The  whole  city  was  enthusiastically  patriotic.  "All 
classes  hastened  to  enroll  themselves.  Painters  quitted 
their  studios  to  be  initiated  in  the  rudiments  of  naval 
discipline  on  the  Giudecca ;  cutlers  and  apothecaries  closed 
their  workshops,  and  devoted  themselves  to  drilling  and 
exercise.  Artisans  brought  their  savings ;  women  plucked 
the  jewels  from  their  dresses,  and  begged  the  Seigniory  to 
dispose  of  them  as  they  would." 

Pisani  found  the  wooden  towers  which  Giustiniani  had 
erected  at  Porto  Lido  to  be  insufficient,  and  demolished 
them  in  order  to  build  others  of  stone.  Giustiniani,  full 
of  rage,  endeavored  to  persuade  the  friends  of  Pisani  not 
to  approve  of  this ;  and  he,  seeing  the  hesitation,  seized  a 
trowel,  crying,  "  He  that  loves  Saint  Mark,  let  him  follow 
me !  "  and  laid  the  first  stone  with  his  own  hands.  The 
men  returned  to  their  duty,  and  the  castles  of  San  Andrea 
and  San  Niccolo  were  built  in  four  days!  Many  other 
preparations  were  made ;  and  when  on  August  24  the 
Genoese  attempted  an  attack  at  two  different  points,  they 
were  repulsed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  convince  them  of 
the  futility  of  their  efforts,  and  the  siege  of  Venice  was 
raised.  After  a  few  weeks  Doria  destroyed  the  works  he 
had  raised  at  Malamocco  and  retired  to  Chioggia,  there 
to  await  the  fall  of  Venice  by  starvation. 

The  situation  in  Venice  was  so  desperate  that  some  of 
the  councillors  even  made  a  motion  for  emigration  to 
Candia  or  Negropont ;  but  this  wild  notion  was  met  with 


154  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

declarations  that  death  among  the  ruins  of  Venice  would 
be  preferable  to  life  elsewhere.  Food  was  so  scarce  and 
dear  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  people  were  famishing; 
even  the  wealthy  families  often  ate  their  last  loaf  not  know- 
ing where  to  get  another,  and  they  were  also  as  charita- 
ble as  it  was  in  their  power  to  be  to  their  poorer  country- 
men. Thus  the  autumn  passed  and  winter  had  come,  and 
yet  Carlo  Zeno  had  not  returned.  He  was  the  only  hope 
for  Venice  and  her  people.  A  letter  found  on  a  captured 
vessel  gave  information  of  splendid  successes  which  he 
had  achieved  and  rich  booty  that  he  had  taken ;  his  name 
inspired  terror  from  the  Golden  Horn  to  the  Riviera,  and 
he  was  now  probably  off  Canea,  whither  a  messenger  was 
sent  to  command  his  immediate  return. 

Just  at  this  point  Barbarigo  captured  three  of  the 
Genoese  ships  and  took  one  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners,  and 
Pisani  advised  that  this  good  fortune  should  be  followed 
up  by  an  endeavor  to  recover  Chioggia.  He  recognized 
the  daring  and  difficulty  of  the  undertaking;  but  not  to 
make  this  effort  meant  starvation,  and  they  might  reason- 
ably count  on  the  aid  of  Zeno  very  soon.  This  advice  was 
acted  upon,  and  a  decree  was  published  that  of  those 
families  of  plebeians  who  should  most  liberally  meet  this 
emergency  by  the  offer  of  soldiers  and  money,  thirty 
should  be  summoned  to  the  Great  Council ;  that  to  those 
not  thus  called  five  thousand  ducats  should  be  annually 
distributed,  and  continued  to  their  heirs  forever;  that  all 
foreign  merchants  who  showed  zeal  for  the  cause  should 
be  made  citizens,  and  all  Venetians  who  eluded  the  bur- 
dens and  hardships  of  the  time  should  forfeit  all  civil 
rights.  This  measure  produced  immediate  results.  Men 
and  money  were  freely  offered;  and  the  Doge  Contarini, 
seventy-three  years  old,  but  hale  and  hearty  still,  wished 
to  assume  command,  with  Pisani  as  his  admiral  and  vice- 
captain-general. 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  155 

Pisani  had  learned,  by  one  means  and  another,  that 
Doria  had  thirty  thousand  men,  fifty  galleys,  seven  hun- 
dred or  more  light  craft,  and  full  supplies  of  every  sort. 
The  odds  against  the  Venetians  were  overwhelming,  hut 
they  delayed  not,  and  December  21  was  fixed  for  the 
beginning  of  the  attack.  Thirty-four  galleys,  sixty  barks, 
and  four  hundred  boats  of  all  sorts  of  build  and  dimensions 
made  up  the  Venetian  fleet.  Orders  were  issued  that 
every  man  should  be  at  his  post  in  the  ships,  at  noon, 
under  pain  of  death.  The  whole  force  was  divided  into  three 
parts,  —  the  first  under  command  of  Pisani ;  the  centre 
under  the  Doge,  assisted  by  Cavalli ;  and  the  last  under 
Cornaro,  called  Collo  storto  from  his  crooked  neck.  At 
the  hour  for  vespers  the  Doge,  Pisani,  and  the  leaders 
attended  .a  Mass  in  San  Marco,  and  it  was  eight  o'clock 
before  Contarini  mounted  his  barge  and  unfurled  the  same 
great  banner  which  had  floated  above  the  victory  over 
Barbarossa.  All  had  been  done  rapidly  and  without 
noise. 

It  was  a  mild  winter  evening;  the  stars  were  bright 
and  the  sea  calm,  and  everything  seemed  propitious  to  the 
undertaking.  Soon  after  passing  the  Lido  a  fog  came  on, 
but  speedily  disappeared;  and  not  far  from  ten  o'clock  the 
fleet  was  off  the  Pass  of  Chioggia,  at  the  southern  point 
of  Pelestrina.  Pisani  had  planned  to  blockade  the  Geno- 
ese instead  of  attacking  them ;  and  in  the  course  of  three 
days  the  Strait  of  Chioggia  was  choked  and  dammed  oil 
the  shores  of  Pelestrina  and  Brondolo. 

But  this  had  been  done  at  the  cost  of  great  hardships 
and  loss  of  life.  Even  in  this  winter-time  the  men  had 
worked  in  the  water  up  to  their  waists,  all  the  while  in 
danger  of  drowning  as  well  as  of  being  shot  by  the  enemy. 
They  began  to  murmur ;  they  declared  that  this  was  more 
than  flesh  and  blood  could  bear,  and  they  demanded  leave 
to  return  to  Venice.  Pisani  had  shared  all  their  perils, 


156  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

but  he  knew  that  great  firmness  was  required  to  put  down 
this  discontent,  and  he  asked  the  Doge,  in  a  tone  which 
made  his  request  a  command,  to  swear  on  his  sword  that 
he  would  not  return  to  Venice  unless  Chioggia  was  taken. 
Contarini  took  this  oath  without  hesitation.  This  scene 
occurred  on  Christmas  eve. 

The  Venetian  engineers,  now  that  the  blockade  was 
complete  even  to  the  canal  of  Lombardy,  began  the  erec- 
tion of  a  fort  at  Fassone,  and  mounted  it  with  cannon  of 
the  largest  caliber;  one,  called  the  "Trevisan,"  could 
throw  stones  weighing  one  hundred  and  ninety-five 
pounds,  and  the  "  Victory "  was  almost  as  powerful. 
Neither  of  these  could  be  fired  more  than  once  in  twenty- 
four  hours !  By  the  time  that  this  work  was  accomplished, 
December  29,  the  condition  of  the  Venetians  was  deplor- 
able. They  were  on  half  rations,  and  every  day  in  col- 
lision with  the  enemy,  while  the  cold  was  piercing.  The 
officers,  oarsmen,  and  crossbowmen  now  declared  that 
they  would  brave  all  consequences  and  return  to  Venice. 
Even  Pisani  was  shaken  for  a  little ;  but  he  summoned  all 
his  heroism  and  fortitude,  and  besought  his  men  to  hold 
out  until  Zeno  could  reach  them.  He  prevailed,  but  at 
the  cost  of  a  pledge  that  if  Zeno  had  not  arrived  on  New 
Year's  day,  he  would  raise  the  blockade- and  return  home. 

Upon  so  slender  a  thread  was  Pisani  forced  to  hang 
the  existence  of  the  Republic.  Forty-eight  hours  might 
decide  that  the  civilization  of  the  world  was  to  be  sunk  in 
darkness ;  that  art,  science,  and  letters  were  to  be  lost  in  a 
deluge  of  bloodshed.  For  if  Venice  were  conquered,  by 
whom  would  she  be  ruled  ?  Such  contentions  must  ensue 
as  would  involve  all  Europe,  and  result  in  consequences 
too  disastrous  to  be  imagined.  The  suspense  of  the  last 
two  days  of  the  year  was  past  any  telling,  and  no  change 
had  come;  but  the  first  glimmer  of  the  light  of  the  New 
Year  revealed  fifteen  sail  in  the  offing.  Can  we  under- 


VETTORE   PISAM   AND   CARLO   ZENO.  157 

stand  the  anxiety  of  the  Doge  and  his  leaders  as  the}r 
asked  the  question,  "  Are  these  our  ships  under  Zeno,  or 
are  they  new  forces  for  our  enemies  ?  "  Light  boats  were 
despatched  to  learn  the  truth,  and  no  imagination  can 
apprehend  the  delirious  joy  when  it  was  found  that  the 
Lion  of  St.  Mark  had  been  hoisted  by  the  new-comers. 
Carlo  Zeno  was  there,  and  Venice  was  saved! 

It  is  needless  to  dwell  upon  the  details  of  the  continued 
siege  of  Chioggia  and  the  various  efforts  made  by  the 
Genoese.  They  did  not  easily  submit  to  their  fate.  They 
tried  negotiation,  and  made  every  effort  for  a  compro- 
mise ;  but  the  Venetians  had  suffered  too  much  to  make 
any  terms  save  those  of  unconditional  surrender,  and  this 
came  at  last  on  June  22,  and  Chioggia  was  given  up  to 
pillage  by  the  Star  Company  of  Milan  and  the  Tard  Venus 
of  Sir  John  Hawkwood,  the  mercenary  troops  to  which 
this  privilege  had  been  promised.  The  booty  was  enor- 
mous, and  the  Republic  gained  nineteen  good  ships,  and 
large  stores  of  salt,  powder,  and  equipments  of  all  kinds ; 
the  salt  alone  was  valued  at  ninety  thousand  crowns. 

The  prisoners  numbered  4,440,  and  were  more  like 
ghosts  than  men,  so  near  starvation  had  they  come.  They 
were  sent  to  Venice,  where  many  died  in  their  prisons 
while  preparations  were  being  made  for  the  triumphal 
return  of  Contarini.  This  occurred  on  the  first  day  of 
July,  and  was  as  magnificent  as  such  a  spectacle  at  Venice 
was  sure  to  be.  But  rarely,  even  in  this  city,  had  so 
remarkable  a  trio  been  seen  as  that  of  the  patriotic  and 
dauntless  Doge,  the  single-hearted  Pisani,  and  the  peerless 
Zeno. 

But  two  days  elapsed  before  Pisani  again  set  sail  and 
occupied  himself  in  opposing  the  enemies  of  the  Republic. 
In  pursuit  of  the  Genoese  he  reached  Manfredonia  on 
August  12.  The  hardships  of  service  and  imprisonment 
had  told  on  the  constitution  of  the  Admiral,  and  he  was 


158  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

now  attacked  by  fever  which  greatly  alarmed  his  friends; 
but  he  made  light  of  it,  and  on  the  13th  despatched 
Corbaro,  his  old  companion,  with  eight  galleys  to  follow 
the  Genoese  fleet,  which  was  in  sight.  But  his  impatience 
overcame  his  resolution  to  remain  behind,  and  in  spite  of 
all  expostulation  he  left  his  sick-bed,  armed  himself,  and 
directed  his  sails  to  be  set.  The  enterprise  failed; 
Corbaro  was  killed;  Pisani  was  wounded  slightly,  and 
returned  at  evening  to  Manfredonia  much  dejected,  ill, 
and  fainting.  He  was  removed  to  the  house  of  the  com- 
mandant of  the  port,  who  procured  a  physician  for  him; 
he  requested  an  amanuensis,  and  dictated  a  long  letter  to 
the  Senate,  closing  with  his  plans  which  should  "make 
Genoa  rue  the  day  when  she  entered  upon  the  War  of 
Chioggia." 

The  letter  finished,  he  asked  for  water,  and  then  for 
bread,  which  he  began  to  eat  ravenously,  but  suddenly 
changed  color,  gasped  for  breath,  and  sank  lifeless  upon 
his  pillow.  He  was  but  fifty-six  years  old,  and  his  life- 
work  would  have  honored  fourscore  years,  since  we  live 
not  by  time,  but  by  deeds.  He  was  deeply  mourned,  and 
the  tears  on  the  faces  of  the  weather-beaten  sailors  when 
they  learned  of  the  death  of  their  "Father"  proved  how 
truly  they  had  loved  their  brave  commander,  who  had 
survived  the  redemption  of  the  Doge's  vow  but  seven 
weeks. 

The  most  sumptuous  funeral  was  decreed  by  the  Senate, 
and  he  was  to  be  buried  in  San  Antonio  di  Castello,  where 
his  father  and  brother  already  rested.  The  whole  people 
were  so  wrapped  in  grief,  and  the  public  mind  so  occupied 
with  the  obsequies,  that "  if  the  smallest  Genoese  fleet  had 
made  a  descent  at  that  conjuncture,  the  country  would 
have  stood  in  the  utmost  peril."  As  the  procession  was 
about  to  move,  a  popular  clamor  was  raised,  the  people 
declaring  that  Pisani  ought  to  be  buried  nowhere  but  in 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CARLO  ZENO.  159 

the  Ducal  Chapel ;  and  just  when  a  tumult  was  threat- 
ened, a  sailor  put  his  shoulder  to  the  bier,  crying  out, 
"  "We,  his  children,  are  carrying  this  brave  captain  to  our 
Father,  Saint  Anthony !  " 

This  quelled  the  excitement,  and  the  procession  began 
to  move ;  it  extended  from  San  Fantino  to  San  Antonio, 
and  yet,  when  the  pall-bearers  were  entering  the  church, 
hundreds  had  not  found  a  place  in  the  line  !• 

A  splendid  mausoleum  was  erected  over  the  family 
vault,  upon  which  was  placed  a  statue  of  Pisani,  in  the 
uniform  of  a  captain-general,  grasping  an  ensign  with 
two  streamers,  and  surmounted  by  a  cross.  The  capture 
of  Cattaro,  in  August,  1379,  was  later  painted  to  his  honor 
by  Andrea  Vicentino  in  the  Sala  dello  Scrutinio,  in  the 
Ducal  Palace. 

In  1381  a  peace  was  made  at  Turin  between  Venice 
and  the  allies,  and  immediately  afterwards  the  Senate 
redeemed  its  promise  and  created  thirty  new  councillors, 
selected  from  the  loyal  grocers,  skinners,  apothecaries, 
and  other  plebeian  traders.  A  series  of  public  festivities 
followed;  the  newly  made  nobles  went  in  procession  to 
San  Marco,  bearing  lighted  tapers  in  their  hands;  tourna- 
ments, regattas,  and  banquets  were  held  with  unusual 
rejoicings,  for  the  sadness  of  many  months  was  forgotten, 
and  thankfulness  and  joy  filled  all  hearts.  We  may  well 
imagine  that  some  patricians  of  ancient  and  honorable 
descent  saluted  the  newly  ennobled  masons  and  other 
artisans  with  a  poor  grace ;  but  that  was  of  small  account 
to  these  men  who  had  earned  the  honors  that  the  others 
had  simply  been  born  to,  by  sacrificing  much  for  the 
Republic,  and  they  fully  enjoyed  their  new  estate  and  its 
privileges. 

Contarini  lived  to  witness  this  happy  conclusion  of  the 
recent  war,  and  died  in  1382,  when  seventy-four  years 
old.  He  may  be  called  the  last  of  the  hero-princes  of 


160  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

his  time.  He  had  been  a  grand  central  figure  in  the  dread- 
ful days  of  the  Chioggian  War;  by  his  example  he  had 
imparted  courage  to  failing  hearts,  and  by  his  oath  to 
conquer  Chioggia  or  see  Venice  no  more,  he  made  it 
impossible  for  his  soldiers  and  sailors  to  desert  him,  and 
thus  his  chivalry  warded  off  failure  and  catastrophe. 
The  generation  which  followed  him  listened  to  the  tales 
of  those  who  had  fought  under  Pisani  on  the  sea,  or  served 
under  Contarini  at  Chioggia,  with  the  same  breathless 
interest  with  which  our  youth  now  listen  to  the  stories 
of  the  veterans  who  were  engaged  in  our  own  struggles 
for  the  preservation  of  our  country. 

When  Vettore  Pisani  died,  there  was  but  one  man 
thought  worthy  to  replace  him,  and  Carlo  Zeno  was  made 
Admiral  of  the  Fleet.  Under  him  the  Adriatic  bore  no 
enemies  to  Venice  upon  its  bosom,  and  he  suffered  no 
defeat  in  any  encounter,  although  the  remaining  thirty- 
six  years  of  his  life  were  largely  spent  in  the  service  of 
the  Republic. 

Jacopo  Zeno,  Bishop  of  Padua,  was  the  grandson  of 
Carlo,  and  his  biographer.  He  tells  us  that  Carlo  was 
"square-shouldered,  broad-chested,  solidly  and  strongly 
made,  with  large  and  speaking  eyes,  and  a  manly,  great, 
and  full  countenance;  his  stature  neither  short  nor  tall. 
Nothing  was  wanting  to  him  which  strength,  health, 
decorum,  and  gravity  demanded." 

The  details  of  his  life  as  given  by  the  Bishop  are  not 
altogether  assuring  as  regards  "  decorum  and  gravity ; "  for 
although  he  certainly  was  an  admirable  general  or  admiral, 
he  was  equally  capable  as  a  pirate,  and  though  his  patri- 
otism was  undoubted,  he  could  make  himself  quite  at 
home  with  any  sort  of  men  from  an}'  part  of  the  globe. 
Indeed,  he  served  Galeazzo  Visconti  at  Milan  and  in 
Piedmont  for  ten  years  with  the  same  zeal  that  he  had 
served  Venice.  During  this  time  he  loaned  four  hundred 


VETTORE  PISANI  AND  CAKLO  ZENO.  161 

ducats  to  Francesco  da  Carrara,  who  then  was  at  peace 
with  Venice ;  some  years  later  this  money  was  repaid,  and 
the  entry  in  Carrara's  book  was  simply  this :  "  To  Carlo 
Zeno,  paid  four  hundred  ducats." 

After  the  death  of  the  Carrarese  and  after  Zeno's  return 
to  Venice,  this  register  was  sent  to  the  Ten.  A  suspicion 
that  Carlo  Zeno  had  accepted  a  bribe  was  the  natural 
result,  and  he  was  called  before  the  secret  tribunal.  He 
told  the  simple  truth;  but  it  availed  nothing,  and  he  was 
sentenced  to  loss  of  public  place  and  rank,  and  two  years 
in  prison !  The  Bishop  vividly  portrays  the  indignation 
which  followed  this  sentence  in  Venice  and  in  other  cities 
where  Zeno  was  known;  and  he  does  not  say  that  hia 
grandfather  was  a  prisoner  for  two  years,  but  he  does  say 
that  when  he  was  at  liberty  he  went  to  Jerusalem,  and 
turned  his  thoughts  to  spiritual  things. 

As  he  was  returning,  he  aided  the  King  of  Cyprus  to 
defeat  the  Genoese  and  save  the  island  with  the  cunning 
and  skill  of  his  younger  days,  though  he  was  now  past 
seventy;  and  after  reaching  Venice,  he  married  a  third 
wife,  as  his  grandson  frankly  states,  "  for  no  other  reason 
than  to  secure  good  domestic  government,  and  a  consort 
and  companion  who  would  take  upon  herself  all  internal 
cares,  and  leave  him  free  to  study  philosophy  and  the 
sacred  writings." 

He  surrounded  himself  with  learned  men,  and  his  house 
became  a  centre  for  the  exchange  of  thought  among 
scholars,  statesmen,  and  good  citizens,  while  he  spent  his 
days  in  reading,  writing,  and  constant  attendance  on  the 
services  of  the  Church.  "  In  the  cold  winter  he  had  his 
bed  filled  with  books,  so  that  when  he  had  slept  suffi- 
ciently he  could  sit  up  in  bed,  and  pass  the  rest  of  the 
night  in  reading,  nor  would  he  put  down  his  book  save  for 
some  great  necessity. " 

But  this  serene  and  undisturbed  life  did  not  continue  to 

11 


162  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

his  end.  His  wife  and  his  favorite  son,  the  father  of  the 
Bishop,  died ;  the  son  was  but  thirty,  and  his  old  father 
was  desolate.  His  son  Pietro  was  a  naval  commander 
of  honorable  repute,  but  it  was  on  Jacopo  that  the  old 
man's  heart  was  fixed.  At  last,  in  1418,  when  eighty- 
four  years  old,  and  honored  by  all  Venice,  the  father 
also  died. 

The  religious  orders  claimed  the  privilege  of  carrying 
him  to  his  grave ;  but  the  seamen  of  Venice  rose  as  one 
man,  and  hastened  to  the  Doge  to  claim  their  right  to  bear 
the  body  of  their  beloved  commander.  "Their  prayer 
was  granted ;  and  with  all  the  ecclesiastical  splendors  in 
front  of  them,  and  all  the  pomp  of  the  State  behind,  the 
seamen  of  Venice  carried  him  to  his  grave,  each  relay 
watching  jealously  that  every  man  might  have  his  turn. " 

His  tomb  was  in  a  church  of  the  Cistercians,  destroyed 
long  since.  Its  site  is  now  a  part  of  the  Arsenal.  Let 
us  hope  that  his  bones  rest  beneath  so  fitting  a  monument 
as  this  for  "  Zeno  the  Unconquered. " 


CHAPTER  IX. 

BURANO   AND   TORCELLO. 

THE  town  of  Burano,  on  the  island  of  the  same  name, 
seven  miles  east  of  Venice,  is  now  quite  the  supe- 
rior of  Mazzorbo,  from  which,  in  its  infancy,  it  begged  a 
piece  of  land  to  build  itself  on.  Its  founders  were  few 
and  very  poor,  but  at  present  there  are  about  ten  thousand 
Buranelli,  who  well  sustain  the  reputation  for  disorderli- 
ness  which  they  have  inherited ;  for  in  the  old  days,  even 
the  women  of  Burano,  who  held  a  market  in  Venice, 
caused  the  magistrates  much  vexation  by  their  quarrels, 
and  now  the  Venetian  gondoliers  usually  ascribe  any 
troubles  that  arise  on  the  canals  to  the  Buranei,  unless 
they  know  of  the  presence  of  those  other  disturbers,  the 
Chiozzotti. 

Burano  is  noisy  and  dirty.  The  people  are  rough  in 
manner  and  speech,  and  the  children  bold  and  persistent 
in  following  strangers.  The  muscular  development  of  the 
Buranelli  and  their  statuesque  figures  are  the  only  traits 
that  one  can  admire  in  them.  The  men  are  occupied  in 
fishing  and  towing  barges,  filled  with  lagoon  mud,  which 
goes  to  enrich  the  soil  of  Pordenone.  They  have  the 
reputation  of  doing  good  work  for  reasonable  pay. 

The  women  are  uproarious  in  their  speech  and  behavior, 
and  seem  unfit  to  make  the  soft,  lovely  lace  which  is 
largely  their  occupation.  But  as  one  listens  to  their 
speech,  it  is  found  to  be  in  a  dialect  so  soft  and  sweet  as 
to  make  one  wonder  how  so  much  noise  can  be  made  with 


164  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

vowels  alone,  for  apparently  all  the  consonants  have  been 
lost.  H.  F.  Brown  says :  "  They  dwell  upon  the  vowels, 
redoubling  and  prolonging  them,  so  that  their  words  seem 
to  have  no  close,  but  die  away  in  a  kind  of  sigh.  For 
instance,  they  call  their  own  town  Buraa  instead  of  Buran. 
The  effect  is  not  unpleasant,  but  is  rather  too  sweet  and 
gripless  for  our  northern  ears. " 

Mazzorbo,  which  at  the  founding  of  Burano  was  the 
Urbs  Major  (the  greater  city),  has  gradually  disappeared, 
and  is  now  but  the  kitchen  garden  of  Venice.  Burano 
has  annexed  it  by  a  bridge  built  on  piles,  and  high  enough 
in  the  centre  for  boats  to  pass  under.  There  is  scarcely 
a  house  left  on  the  island,  save  the  little  inn  where  the 
boatmen  get  a  glass  of  wine.  Each  morning  the  fruit  and 
vegetable  boats  go  to  Venice,  and  their  cargoes  are  sold 
near  the  Rialto.  The  difference  between  the  people  of 
these  two  islands  is  striking.  Those  of  Mazzorbo  are 
gentle  and  kind  in  manner,  and  really  beautiful  in  person. 
What  can  make  this  dissimilarity  in  the  twelve  hundred 
feet  which  separates  them  ? 

But  the  special  interest  in  Burano  is  the  lace-making, 
which  is  now  in  full  revival,  thanks  to  the  Countess 
Marcel lo,  and  other  benevolent  patrons,  whose  efforts  have 
reproduced  the  Point  de  Burano  in  its  old  patterns.  The 
hundreds  of  girls  in  the  Fabbrica  di  Merletti  di  Burano 
are  certainly  more  than  good-looking,  and  are  improving 
in  their  work  each  year.  Indeed,  one  may  believe  that 
the  old-time  skill  of  their  ancestors  is  not  lost. 

The  sacristan  of  San  Martino  exhibits  some  fine  bits 
of  old  Point  de  Burano,  and  the  robes  of  the  priests  are  so 
exquisite  that  one  need  not  be  a  judge  of  laces  in  order  to 
appreciate  their  beauty.  One  who  has  ever  visited  this 
independent  little  island  will  recall  its  peculiarities,  and 
certainly  its  lace-makers,  in  whatever  distant  part  of  the 
globe  their  handiwork  may  be  seen. 


BURANO  AND  TORCELLO.  165 

During  the  sixteenth  century  lace-making  flourished  in 
all  the  principal  towns  of  northern  Italy,  but  to  Venice 
belongs  the  fame  of  needle-points;  and  Venetian  ladies 
were  the  first  to  wear  it,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  from 
which  time  the  fine  Venetian  lace-making  dates. 

Before  this  time  the  ladies  of  Venice  had  worn  lace,  as 
their  portraits  attest,  but  not  of  this  particular  sort. 
Artists  of  the  highest  order  did  not  disdain  to  make 
designs  for  Point  coupe",  which  was  made  for  ladies  of 
illustrious  rank,  for  princesses  and  queens;  and  bits  of 
this  exquisite  point  now  bring  prices  that  are  simply 
fabulous,  and  worse,  to  any  but  a  collector  of  laces  or  a 
connoisseur  in  them. 

"The  special  character  of  this  lace  consists  in  high  reliefs, 
ornamental  figures  either  in  solid  or  open  work,  artistically 
formed  and  arranged  in  petals,  overlaid  with  fantastic  flowers 
of  very  broad  design,  the  open  blossoms  of  which  detach  them- 
selves from  rich  foliage  of  marvellous  workmanship,  and  are 
connected  by  joining  threads  and  very  delicate  network  stitches." 

The  authorities  in  this  specialty  put  Venice  point  above 
all  other  laces,  on  account  of  its  high  relief,  its  softness 
and  suppleness,  and  a  certain  velvety  quality  found  only 
in  needle-made  laces.  For  some  time  the  secret  of  the 
stitches  used  in  making  this  lace  were  known  only  to  the 
inventors.  Its  fame  reached  other  countries  immediately, 
and  the  demand  for  it  naturally  caused  imitations  to 
spring  up.  The  real  Venice  point  was  made  entirely  with 
the  needle.  The  foliage,  the  flower  petals,  the  stems, 
all  the  raised  parts,  and  all  the  connecting  threads  were 
made  in  one  stitch.  The  time  necessary  for  its  comple- 
tion gave  it  an  intrinsic  value ;  and  its  price  was  such  that 
only  very  wealthy  persons  could  pay  it,  while  if  exported 
the  duty  was  also  heavy. 

In  other  countries  laces  were  made  which  from  a  dis- 


166  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

tance  had  much  the  same  effect,  but  could  not  be  com- 
pared to  the  true  Venetian  point.  Louis  XIV.  gave  much 
attention  to  this  lace,  and  instructed  his  ambassadors  to 
give  him  all  possible  information  about  its  manufacture. 
He  even  wrote  letters  on  this  subject  with  his  own  hand, 
and  was  greatly  interested  in  keeping  Venetian  lace  out 
of  France,  thus  compelling  the  use  of  French  point.  And 
on  the  other  hand,  the  Venetian  ambassador  to  France 
was  able  to  discover  just  what  workmen  the  French  had 
induced  to  go  to  France  to  introduce  the  lace-making,  and 
sent  a  list  of  them  to  the  Senate.  All  this  resulted  in  a 
decree  of  the  Inquisitors,  as  follows :  — 

"If  any  workman  or  artist  transports  his  art  into  a  foreign 
country  to  the  detriment  of  the  Republic,  he  shall  be  sent  an 
order  to  return ;  if  he  does  not  obey,  his  nearest  relatives  shall 
be  imprisoned,  so  as  to  reduce  him  to  obedience  by  his  interest 
in  them;  if  he  returns,  the  past  will  be  pardoned,  and  an  estab- 
lishment in  Venice  will  be  procured  for  him;  if,  in  spite  of  the 
imprisonment  of  his  relations,  he  is  still  determined  to  live 
abroad,  an  emissary  will  be  charged  to  kill  him,  and  after  his 
death  his  relations  will  be  set  at  liberty." 


TORCELLO. 

Torcello,  that  once  populous  city,  now  uninhabitable 
from  malaria,  is  a  realization  of  complete  desolation ;  for 
the  few  traces  of  its  past  make  its  present  more  gloomy 
than  if  it  had  never  been  other  than  a  desert  isle.  And 
yet  in  spring-time  it  is  full  of  beauty,  when  its  orchards 
and  thorn-hedges  are  in  bloom  and  fill  the  air  with  fra- 
grance, or  in  the  golden  autumn  days,  when  the  sea- 
lavender,  with  its  delicate,  feather-like  bloom,  tinges  all 
the  meadows  with  its  purple. 

In  his  book  on  "Italian  Sculptors"  Mr.  Perkins  thus 
prettily  tells  the  legend  of  the  settlement  of  Torcello :  — 


BURANO  AND  TORCELLO.  167 

"Two  hundred  years  after  the  invasion  of  Attila  had  driven 
many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Aquileja  and  Altina  from  their 
homes,  the  province  was  desolated  by  the  Lombards.  The 
Altinese,  alarmed  at  their  approach,  anxiously  deliberated 
whether  they  should  remain  to  face  this  '  Australis  plaga,'  or 
seek  safety  in  flight,  when  they  beheld  vast  flocks  of  birds,  with 
their  fledglings  in  their  beaks,  take  flight  from  the  city  walls 
and  towers  and  direct  their  course  seaward.  Regarding  this  as 
a  sign  from  heaven,  some  departed  to  Ravenna,  some  to  Penta- 
polis,  and  others  to  Istria,  leaving  behind  them  a  band  of 
devout  persons,  who,  in  order  to  obtain  a  more  direct  manifesta- 
tion of  the  will  of  Heaven,  determined  to  fast  and  pray  for  three 
days,  according  to  the  advice  of  their  bishop,  Paulus.  At  the 
end  of  the  time  they  heard  a  voice  like  thunder,  saying,  '  As- 
cend into  the  city  tower  and  look  at  the  stars.'  They  beheld  a 
vision  of  boats  and  ships  and  islands,  and  taking  this  as  an 
indication  that  their  course  should  be  directed  seaward,  they  re- 
moved their  most  precious  possessions  to  the  island  of  Torcello. 
.  .  .  Paulus,  Bishop  of  Altina,  migrated  with  his  flock,  their 
relics  and  treasure,  to  Torcello  and  the  neighboring  islands, 
A.  D.  641." 

The  ascent  of  the  tall,  square  Campanile  (eleventh  cen- 
tury) is  not  easy,  for  its  ladders  are  rickety;  but  the 
view  from  its  bell-chamber  compensates  for  all  the  diffi- 
culty of  reaching  it.  To  the  east  lies  a  large  district, 
which  is  neither  sea  nor  land,  but  partly  both,  crossed 
and  recrossed  by  broad  ditches.  These  are  the  valli, 
in  which  fish,  are  bred.  Many  little  huts  stand  beside 
the  vallij  in  which  Venetian  gentlemen  live  while  duck- 
shooting  in  the  winter.  The  sport  is  so  fine  that,  in  spite 
of  cold  and  the  absence  of  all  real  comfort,  a  shooting- 
party  usually  lasts  several  days. 

To  the  south  the  view  is  over  the  Adriatic,  and  the  eye 
follows  the  line  of  breakwaters,  even  to  Chioggia.  South- 
west lies  Venice,  her  many  towers  and  palaces  cutting  an 
irregular  line  across  the  azure  sky,  with  the  Euganean 


168  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Hills  for  a  background.  To  the  north,  far  away  beyond 
the  plain,  with  nothing  to  intercept  the  view,  stand  the 
Doloraitic  Alps,  seen  in  perfection  from  Torcello.  Tofano, 
Antelao,  and  Pelmo  stand  out  boldly,  their  clear-cut  peaks 
white  with  snow,  and  their  long,  lower  ridges  dark  and 
shadowy.  A  more  heavenly  sky,  a  lovelier  sea,  more 
striking  mountain  peaks,  and  a  more  fancy-stirring  city, 
—  can  these  be  found  in  any  one  panorama  to  excel  the 
view  from  the  Campanile  of  Torcello  ? 

The  Cathedral  of  Torcello  was  so  injured  by  the  repairs 
under  the  Austrians  that  one  can  find  little  pleasure  in 
visiting  it.  The  one  interesting  feature  is  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  chancel,  where  the  semicircular  seats  rise 
one  above  the  other,  and  the  bishop's  throne  in  the  centre, 
reached  by  a  steep  staircase,  towers  above  all.  Authori- 
ties agree  that  the  fittings  of  this  apse  give  a  better  idea 
of  the  way  in  which  apses  were  originally  arranged  than 
does  any  other  church,  either  of  the  same  period  with  this 
(seventh  century),  or  even  earlier.  It  is  most  unusual ; 
and  Ruskin  throws  such  a  charm  about  it  that  it  is  pure 
pleasure  to  read  what  he  says  of  it :  — 

"  There  is  one  circumstance  which  we  ought  to  remember  as 
giving  peculiar  significance  to  the  position  which  the  episcopal 
throne  occupies  in  the  island  church;  namely,  that  in  the  minds 
of  all  early  Christians  the  church  itself  was  most  frequently 
symbolized  under  the  image  of  a  ship,  of  which  the  bishop  was 
the  pilot.  Consider  the  force  which  this  symbol  would  assume 
in  the  imaginations  of  men  to  whom  the  spiritual  Church  had 
become  an  ark  of  refuge  in  the  midst  of  a  destruction  hardly 
less  terrible  than  that  from  which  the  eight  souls  were  saved  of 
old,  —  a  destruction  in  which  the  wrath  of  man  had  become  as 
broad  as  the  earth  and  as  merciless  as  the  sea,  —  and  who  saw 
the  actual  and  literal  edifice  of  the  Church  raised  up,  itself  like 
an  ark  in  the  midst  of  the  waters.  No  marvel  if  with  the  surf  of 
the  Adriatic  rolling  between  them  and  the  shores  of  their  birth, 


BUKANO  AND  TORCELLO.  169 

from  which  they  were  separated  forever,  they  should  have  looked 
upon  each  other  as  the  disciples  did  when  the  storm  came  down 
on  Tiberias  Lake,  and  have  yielded  ready  and  loving  obedience 
to  those  who  ruled  them  in  His  name  who  had  there  rebuked 
the  winds  and  commanded  stillness  to  the  sea.  And  if  the 
stranger  would  yet  learn  in  what  spirit  it  was  that  the  dominion 
of  Venice  was  begun,  and  in  what  strength  she  went  forth  con- 
quering and  to  conquer,  let  him  not  seek  to  estimate  the  wealth 
of  her  arsenals  or  numbers  of  her  armies,  nor  look  upon  the 
pageantry  of  her  palaces,  nor  enter  into  the  secrets  of  her  coun- 
cils ;  but  let  him  ascend  the  highest  tier  of  the  stern  ledges  that 
sweep  round  the  altar  of  Torcello,  and  then,  looking  as  the  pilot 
did  of  old  along  the  marble  ribs  of  the  goodly  temple-ship,  let 
him  repeople  its  ruined  deck  with  the  shadows  of  its  dead  mari- 
ners, and  strive  to  feel  in  himself  the  strength  of  heart  that 
was  kindled  within  them,  when  first,  after  the  pillars  of  it  had 
settled  in  the  sand,  and  the  roof  of  it  had  been  closed  against  the 
angry  sky  that  was  still  reddened  by  the  fires  of  their  home- 
steads, —  first,  within  the  shelter  of  its  knitted  walls,  amidst 
the  murmur  of  the  waste  of  waves  and  the  beating  of  the  wings 
of  the  sea-birds  round  the  rock  that  was  strange  to  them,  — 
rose  that  ancient  hymn,  in  the  power  of  their  gathered  voices : 
'  The  sea  is  His,  and  He  made  it :  and  His  hands  prepared  the 
dry  land.' ': 

A  picturesque  cloister  connects  the  Baptistery  or  Church 
of  St.  Fosca  with  the  cathedral.  The  relics  of  the  virgin 
martyr  are  said  to  rest  beneath  the  low,  ancient  church. 
The  pillars  of  the  cloisters  are  so  short  that  a  tall  man 
can  touch  the  arches  they  sustain;  but  they  are  of  pure 
Greek  marble,  with  delicately  sculptured  capitals.  Every- 
thing seems  so  small,  —  the  two  churches,  the  tower,  an 
ancient  well,  and  a  marble  column  are  all  that  remain, 
save  one  or  two  old  buildings  that  may  now  have  disap- 
peared, so  tumble-down  were  they  when  last  I  saw  them. 
The  Piazza  ( ! )  around  which  these  buildings  stand  is  such 
a  bit  of  a  grass -grown  place!  The  only  street  is  but  a 


170  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

footpath,  and  yet  we  reverence  Torcello  for  its  age.  The 
banner  of  Venice  has  floated  here  more  than  a  thousand 
years, — more  than  six  centuries  before  Columbus  dis- 
covered our  part  of  the  globe. 

There  is  a  little  museum  in  which  a  few  antiquities  are 
gathered,  where  one  may  rest  and  think  before  taking 
leave  of  this  ghost-haunted  island  of.  Torcello,  so  well 
described  by  Helen  Hunt :  — 

"  Short  sail  from  Venice  sad  Torcello  lies, 
Deserted  island  low,  and  still  and  green. 
Before  fair  Venice  was  a  bride  and  queen 
Torcello's  court  was  held  in  fairer  guise 
Than  Doges  knew.     To-day  death-vapors  rise 
From  fields  where  once  her  palaces  were  seen, 
And  in  her  silent  towers  that  crumbling  lean 
Uuterrified  the  brooding  swallow  flies." 

As  we  row  back  to  Venice  in  the  lovely  evening,  with 
the  orange  and  purple  of  the  after-glow  dissolving  into 
paler  and  colder  tints,  and  the  stars  peeping  out  one  by 
one,  Giacomo  tells  us  a  ghost-story  which  is  familiar  to 
the  gondoliers  and  fishermen,  a  group  of  whom  we  have 
just  met  returning  from  Venice  to  their  strange  fishing- 
ground. 

The  story  runs  that  once  upon  a  time  six  men  were 
fishing  and  living  together  in  a  small  hut  among  the 
valli.  One  of  them  had  a  little  son  who  stayed  in  the 
hut  to  cook  food  for  the  men  whenever  they  came  in.  As 
the  night  was  the  best  time  for  fishing,  the  little  fellow 
was  often  alone  from  sunset  to  dawn.  One  morning,  as 
it  was  growing  light,  the  men  stopped  their  work  and 
rowed  toward  home ;  and  on  the  way  they  saw  the  body 
of  a  drowned  man,  which  the  tide  was  taking  out  to  sea. 

They  lifted  the  corpse  into  their  boat,  and  laid  it  on 
the  prow,  the  head  resting  on  the  arm.  The  little  boy 
was  watching  for  them ;  and  when  he  saw  the  seventh  man, 


BURANO  AND  TORCELLO.  171 

he  thought  he  was  some  other  fisherman  who  had  fallen 
asleep  after  his  night  of  work. 

He  cheerily  called  out,  "Breakfast  is  ready;  come 
along ! "  and  ran  to  the  hut  to  see  that  all  was  right. 

When  the  six  were  seated  at  the  table,  the  boy  asked, 
"  Where  is  the  other  man  ?  Will  he  not  have  breakfast 
too  ?  " 

"  Why,  is  n't  he  here  ?  You  had  better  run  and  call 
him, "  answered  one  of  the  men. 

The  boy  ran  to  the  canal  and  called  out  loudly,  "  Break- 
fast is  ready,  and  there  is  enough  for  you.  Why  do  you 
not  come  ?  "  Getting  no  answer,  the  boy  went  again  to 
the  hut,  saying,  "What  ails  him  ?  He  will  not  speak." 

"  Ah, "  said  another,  "  the  old  fool  is  deaf.  You  must 
shout  at  him  and  swear  a  little. " 

Again  the  boy  went  down  and  shouted,  "The  others 
wait  for  you.  Come  along,  old  fool ! "  But  again  the  man 
moved  not. 

The  third  time  back  to  the  hut  ran  the  boy,  saying, 
"Come,  one  of  you!  He  will  not  wake  for  me."  But 
they  only  laughed  and  said,  "  Go  shake  his  leg,  and  say 
we  cannot  wait  till  doomsday  for  him. " 

The  boy  did  as  he  was  bid,  and  clambered  into  the 
boat,  and  shook  the  man,  who  then  sat  up  on  the  prow 
and  said,  "  Go  back  and  tell  them  I  am  coming. "  Then 
the  boy  hastened  back,  and  found  the  men  all  laughing 
and  joking,  and  he  cried  out,  "  It  is  all  right  now,  and  he 
is  coming." 

Suddenly  the  laughter  ceased,  and  the  six  men  turned 
ashy  pale.  They  heard  the  footsteps  approaching,  and 
soon  the  dead  man  came  in  and  sat  in  the  boy's  place. 
The  eyes  of  the  others  were  fixed  on  him,  and  they  could 
neither  eat  nor  speak.  They  could  not  turn  their  eyes 
from  the  stranger's  face,  and  their  blood  was  gradually 
chilled  in  their  veins ;  and  when  the  sun  was  risen,  seven 


172  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

dead  men  sat  around  the  table,  and  the  poor  little  boy 
was  alone.  It  is  from  this  event  that  the  valle  is  called 
the  Valle  dei  Sette  Morti. 

Ghost-stories  are  rare  in  Venice.  There  is  another 
that  one  usually  hears.  It  concerns  a  house  called 
"haunted."  It  stands  on  the  most  easterly  point  of 
Venice,  and  is  spoken  of  as  the  "Casa  degli  Spirit!." 
The  old  women  say  that  "  once  upon  a  time  "  a  fine  young 
Venetian  lived  there  with  a  charming  bride,  and  the 
friend  who  had  been  their  groomsman  visited  them  fre- 
quently. He  was  godfather  to  their  first  child,  which  is 
a  very  sacred  relation  in  Venice,  and  is  called  "  Compare 
di  San  Zuan."  After  a  time  the  young  wife  and  the 
compare  fell  in  love  with  each  other.  The  husband  knew 
this  very  well,  and  all  three  of  them  were  most  unhappy. 

Just  then  the  compare  died;  and  so  greatly  did  the  lady 
suffer  that  she  grieved  herself  ill,  and  was  about  to  die. 
Her  faithful  maid  knew  all  the  story  of  her  love  and 
grief,  and  with  her  last  breath  her  mistress  begged  that 
when  she  was  dead  no  one  else  should  be  permitted  to 
watch  beside  her ;  and  although  the  other  servants  would 
gladly  have  kept  the  vigil,  the  maid  was  left  alone  beside 
her  dead  mistress. 

At  midnight  the  door  opened,  and  the  dead  compare 
came  in.  The  maid  could  neither  move  nor  cry  out,  and 
the  ghost  raised  his  dead  love  up,  and  she  began  to  dress. 
When  she  was  ready,  the  ghost  took  her  arm,  and  signed 
to  the  maid  to  light  them  on  their  way.  Then  the  three 
went  down,  down  to  the  very  lowest  vault  beneath  the 
house ;  and  there  the  compare  struck  the  torch  from  the 
hand  of  the  maid,  and  she  swooned  on  the  floor. 

Thus  runs  the  story  of  the  old  women;  but  there  are 
other  explanations  of  the  name  of  this  old  house,  which 
even  now  bears  traces  of  its  former  beauty,  though  the 
whole  edifice  is  going  to  wrack  and  ruin.  A  second 


BURANO  AND  TORCELLO  173 

story  is  quite  as  gruesome  as  the  first,  since  it  says  that 
here  dead  bodies  were  brought  by  medical  students,  and 
autopsies  made  before  they  were  buried  in  San  Michele, 
which  is  very  near.  This  is  the  view  adopted  by  J.  A. 
Symonds,  who  says :  — 

"  Yonder  square  white  house,  standing  out  to  sea,  fronting 
Murano  and  the  Alps,  they  call  the  Casa  degli  Spirit!.  No  one 
cares  to  inhabit  it  ;  for  here,  in  old  days,  it  was  the  wont  of  the 
Venetians  to  lay  their  dead  for  a  night's  rest  before  their  final 
journey  to  the  graveyard  of  S.  Michele.  So  many  generations 
of  dead  folk  had  made  that  house  their  inn,  that  it  is  now  no 
fitting  house  for  living  men." 

But  a  pleasanter  explanation  is,  that  long  ago  an  artis- 
tic and  literary  society  held  its  meetings  here,  and  from 
the  beaux  esprits  who  habitually  gathered  beneath  its  roof, 
it  came  to  be  called  the  Casa  degli  Spiriti. 

Perhaps  the  most  amusing  Venetian  ghost-story  is  that 
of  the  parish  priest  of  San  Marcuola,  who  declared  his 
disbelief  in  ghosts  in  a  sermon,  and  exclaimed,  "  Where 
the  dead  are,  there  they  stay ! "  This  made  the  ghosts  of 
those  who  had  been  buried  in  San  Marcuola  very  indig- 
nant, and  they  revenged  themselves  by  going  at  night,  in 
a  body,  to  the  chamber  of  this  priest,  whom  they  dragged 
out  of  bed,  tossed  about,  and  soundly  thrashed  for  the 
insult  he  had  put  on  them. 

Meantime,  while  this  story-telling  has  gone  on,  it  has 
grown  quite  dark,  and  as  we  come  into  the  canals,  the 
calls,  Stali,  Preme,  are  very  frequent.  These  cries 
of  the  gondoliers  are  curiously  startling,  especially  at 
night;  but  the  celerity  with  which  they  are  obeyed,  and 
the  narrow  escapes  from  accidents,  prove  their  usefulness. 
Stalir  means  go  to  the  right;  Premier,  go  to  the  left; 
and  Sciar,  or  Siar,  means  that  the  boat  is  to  be  stopped 
by  turning  the  flat  side  of  the  oar  against  the  current. 
Monckton  Millies  prettily  explains  this  in  his  verses :  — 


174  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

"  When  along  the  light  ripple  the  far  serenade 
Has  accosted  the  ear  of  each  passionate  maid, 
She  may  open  the  window  that  looks  on  the  stream,  — 
She  may  smile  on  her  pillow  and  blend  it  in  dream ; 
Half  in  words,  half  in  music,  it  pierces  the  gloom, 
'  I  am  coming  —  stall  —  hut  you  know  not  for  whom ! 
Stall  —  not  for  whom ! ' 

"  Now  the  tones  become  clearer,  —  you  hear  more  and  more 
How  the  water  divided  returns  on  the  oar,  — 
Does  the  prow  of  the  gondola  strike  on  the  stair  ? 
Do  the  voices  and  instruments  pause  and  prepare  ? 
Oh !  they  faint  on  the  ear  as  the  lamp  on  the  view, 
'  I  am  passing —  preme  —  but  I  stay  not  for  you! 
Preme  —  not  for  you ! ' 

"  Then  return  to  your  couch,  you  who  stifle  a  tear,  — 
Then  awake  not,  fair  sleeper,  —  believe  he  is  here ; 
For  the  young  and  the  loving  no  sorrow  endures. 
If  to-day  be  another's,  to-morrow  is  yours ; 
May  the  next  time  you  listen  your  fancy  be  true, 
'  I  am  coming  —  sciar  —  and  for  you  and  to  you ! 
Sciar  —  and  to  you ! '  " 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  TWO   FOSCARI;    CARMAGNOLA   AND   COLLEONI. 

WHEN  the  Doge  Tommaso  Mocenigo  was  about  to  die, 
he  made  a  most  remarkable  statement,  summing 
up  the  past  and  present  condition  of  Venice,  and  giving 
much  advice  concerning  its  future,  especially  as  to  the 
election  of  his  successor.  One  of  his  most  pronounced 
judgments  was  against  the  election  of  Francesco  Foscari. 
He  prophesied  that  under  his  rule  Venice  would  be  per- 
petually at  war,  and  that  many  other  events  would  occur 
to  lessen  her  prosperity.  But  in  spite  of  all  that  he  said, 
Foscari  was  made  Doge  at  the  tenth  scrutiny,  on  April 
15,  1423. 

It  is  true  that  under  his  reign  Venice  was  constantly  at 
war;  but  since  he  had  even  less  power  than  any  of  his 
predecessors,  the  responsibility  of  war  or  peace  did  not 
rest  with  him.  He  was  a  man  of  great  ability,  and  had 
filled  many  offices  of  trust  with  honor.  Abroad  he  had 
served  as  ambassador  at  several  courts.  At  home  he 
had  once  been  Chief  of  the  Forty,  three  times  Chief  of 
the  Ten,  and  twice  their  Inquisitor.  At  the  time  of  his 
election  he  was  fifty-one  years  old,  the  father  of  a 
large  family,  and  the  husband  of  a  young  wife  who  added 
to  the  number  every  year. 

Such  festivities  as  satisfied  even  the  Venetian  taste  for 
splendor  followed  his  election;  and,  indeed,  the  tourna- 
ments and  other  spectacles  were  continued  for  a  twelve- 
month. The  thirty-four  years  of  Foscari's  reign  was  a 


176  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

period  of  great  importance.  The  Republic,  by  joining 
the  Florentines  against  Milan,  was  involved  in  a  series  of 
conflicts,  sometimes  gaining,  at  others  losing,  always 
engaged  in  intrigues,  sending  and  receiving  embassies, 
making  treaties  only  to  be  broken,  as  it  would  seem,  but 
'  finally,  in  1454,  emerging  from  a  struggle  of  thirty  years 
indisputably  the  first  of  Italian  powers.  Hazlitt  says : 

"The  Venetian  Empire  was  the  most  extensive,  and  prom- 
ised to  be  the  most  durable,  which  had  been  formed  on  any  con- 
stitutional principles  since  the  days  of  the  Romans.  The 
Venetian  Senate  was  the  most  august  assembly  in  the  world. 
The  Venetian  Navy  was  the  finest  which  Europe  had  ever  seen. 
During  war,  Venice  employed,  even  at  an  exorbitant  stipend, 
the  best  troops  to  be  procured  and  the  ablest  generals  of  the 
age ;  and  among  her  Captains  of  Companies  it  was  not  unusual 
to  find  Hereditary  Princes.  Her  patricians,  so  far  from  being 
purely  political  in  their  education  or  sordid  in  their  tastes, 
prided  themselves  on  the  extent  and  versatility  of  their  acquire- 
ments. They  excelled  in  all  manly  exercises  and  in  all  enlight- 
ened pursuits.  Not  content  with  reading  contemporary  history, 
with  mastering  the  intricacies  of  diplomacy,  or  with  attaining 
the  highest  honors  in  the  military  profession,  they  studied  the 
language  which  Cicero  spoke,  the  language  of  the  Anabasis, 
and  the  language  of  Holy  Writ.  They  applied  themselves  to 
the  liberal,  mechanical,  and  occult  sciences,  and  to  the  Fine 
Arts.  They  became  diligent  scholiasts.  They  searched  for 
manuscripts  with  an  avidity  eclipsing  that  of  De  Bure.  They 
formed  libraries,  some  of  which  were  far  larger  than  the  Public 
Collections  at  Oxford  or  Paris.  Some  gave  gratuitous  instruc- 
tion in  the  Elements  of  Euclid;  others  lectured  on  Ethics  or 
Metaphysics.  A  Trevisano  devoted  ten  years  to  the  composition 
of  a  single  Treatise,  which  he  never  lived  to  finish.  A  Giorgio 
naturalized  among  his  countrymen  the  literature  of  the  Trouba- 
dours and  the  songs  of  Provence.  To  a  Polo,  scientific  men 
were  indebted  for  the  first  book  on  Travels  in  China,  Kam- 
tschatka,  and  Japan.  A  Pisani  filled  Europe  with  the  fame  of 


THE  TWO  FOSCARL  177 

her  beauty  and  genius;  and  four  nations  competed  for  the  privi- 
lege of  doing  her  honor!  She  chose  France,  and  France  was 
flattered  by  the  choice. 

'  D'avoir  le  prix  en  science  et  en  doctrine, 
Bien  merita  de  Pisan  la  Christine, 
Durant  ses  jours.'  " 

But  the  deep  interest  we  feel  in  Francesco  Foscari  is 
not  centred  in  the  affairs  of  Venice  while  he  served  as  its 
figure-head  and  held  but  a  semblance  of  power,  the  real 
potency  being  in  the  Seigniory  and  Council  of  Ten.  In 
the  great  rush  of  state  affairs,  conducted  as  they  had  come 
to  be,  each  single  man  was  lost.  The  State  only  sur- 
vived ;  and  its  methods  of  secret  councils  and  its  schemes 
of  unlimited  ambition  made  of  this  same  State  a  vast  and 
overwhelming  machine,  the  workings  of  which  in  their 
completeness  were  only  comprehended  by  a  few  patri- 
cians, each  one  of  whom  was  jealously  watching  to  pre- 
vent every  other  from  the  exercise  of  any  distinguishing 
or  undue  power. 

It  is  with  the  personal  experiences  of  the  Doge  that  we 
are  concerned.  Within  a  few  years  his  large  family  was 
swept  away  by  death.  Of  his  five  sons  Jacopo  alone 
remained.  He  was  a  gay  young  fellow,  who  paraded  in 
the  Broglio,  and  took  his  part  in  all  the  gayeties  and 
pleasures  of  his  time.  He  was  an  elegant  scholar,  a  col- 
lector of  manuscripts,  and  altogether  a  delightful  com- 
panion in  a  ladies'  salon  or  on  a  festal  day. 

In  1441  Jacopo  Foscari  was  married  to  Lucrezia  €on- 
tarini,  whose  family  had  given  three  Doges  to  Venice. 
The  marriage  was  celebrated  in  the  Ducal  Chapel  before 
the  immediate  families  of  the  Foscari  and  Contarini ;  and 
not  until  the  third  day  did  the  rejoicings  begin,  which 
continued  for  ten  days,  and  were  very  magnificent,  as  the 
gentlemen  of  both  families  were  members  of  the  Compagnia 
della  Calza  (Company  of  the  Stocking).  This  society  of 

12 


178  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

young  noblemen  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
jousts,  serenades,  regattas,  and  like  entertainments,  and 
took  its  name  from  its  peculiar  uniform,  which  consisted 
of  a  striped,  party-colored  stocking  on  the  left  leg,  reach- 
ing to  the  hip,  drawn  over  tight  breeches,  and  embroidered 
with  figures  of  animals  and  birds.  With  this  was  worn 
a  doublet  of  velvet  or  cloth  of  gold,  with  open  sleeves  and 
facings,  and  a  shirt-frill.  A  flowing  mantle  of  some 
costly  stuff  was  thrown  back  on  the  shoulder,  displaying 
a  richly  embroidered  stocking  on  the  lining;  and  the 
whole  was  completed  by  long  pointed  shoes  studded  with 
precious  stories,  and  a  black  or  red  bonnet,  also  bejewelled. 
Aristocratic  ladies  were  honorary  members,  and  wore  a 
stocking  embroidered  on  their  sleeves  on  festive  occasions. 
As  the  society  increased,  it  was  divided  into  various 
branches,  of  which  the  Immortelles,  Royals,  Ethereals, 
and  Peacocks  were  the  most  noted ;  but  the  most  exclu- 
sive part  of  the  society  is  said  never  to  have  numbered 
more  than  eighteen. 

Since  Foscari  and  his  bride  were  both  members  of  the 
Calza,  the  festivities  attending  their  marriage  were 
under  its  care;  and  the  presence  of  Francesco  Sforza, 
Barbaro,  and  a  hundred  Brescian  nobles  then  in  Venice, 
added  much  to  the  elegance  of  the  assemblies.  The  Doge 
and  the  College  appointed  a  "Master  of  the  Feast,"  whose 
duty  was  to  regulate  everything  that  took  place.  At  the 
appointed  time  all  the  Company  of  the  Calza,  in  their  most 
gorgeous  apparel,  repaired  to  his  house,  where  the  proces- 
sion formed. 

Each  member  had  two  servants  in  his  private  livery, 
and  four  others  in  the  livery  of  the  Calza,  besides  other 
attendants,  dressed  in  silk,  and  men-at-arms  in  full  armor. 
Masters  and  men  were  all  provided  with  horses  capari- 
soned with  green  velvet  trimmed  with  silver.  The  bride- 
groom had  twenty  mounted  attendants,  while  others  had 


THE  TWO  FOSCARI.  179 

from  ten  to  fifteen.  The  procession  was  magnificent.  So 
many  jewels  flashed  in  the  sun,  so  many  richly  colored 
velvets  and  hrocades  were  worn  with  easy  grace,  so  many 
horses  caracoled  to  the  sound  of  trumpets,  that  the  people 
in  windows,  balconies,  and  on  the  housetops  could  do 
nothing  but  applaud.  The  houses  of  the  streets  through 
which  the  cavalcade  passed  were  hung  with  tapestries, 
silks,  and  banners,  or  arched  with  flags  spread  on  lines 
stretched  from  one  side  to  the  other. 

The  procession  rode  around  the  Piazza  and  the  court  of 
the  Ducal  Palace,  and  then  over  the  Grand  Canal,  on  a 
bridge  of  boats,  to  the  Contarini  Palace  at  San  Barnaba. 
Here  the  fair  young  bride  came  out  to  meet  the  proces- 
sion. She  was  attended  by  two  grave  and  reverend  pro- 
curators of  St.  Mark  in  black  dresses  and  cloaks,  which 
by  contrast  heightened  the  beauty  of  her  robes  of  white 
silk.  Twelve  children,  all  dressed  in  white,  bore  her 
train.  In  her  dark  hair  diamonds  were  so  woven  that 
those  who  would  see  her  face  were  forced  to  shade  their 
eyes  from  the  flashing  of  the  jewels,  and  on  her  neck  were 
the  rarest  of  pearls,  besides  precious  stones  of  great  value 
on  other  portions  of  her  person.  She  wore  a  cloak  of 
lightest  fur,  as  the  wintry  air  compelled  her  to  do.  Sixty 
maids  of  honor  followed  her,  all  dressed  in  blue  with 
many  rare  jewels,  and  all  wearing  cloaks.  The  Com- 
pany of  the  Calza  and  their  attendants  formed  two  lines. 
Foscari  descended  from  his  horse,  and  made  a  profound 
obeisance  to  his  wife,  then  placed  himself  beside  her,  and 
they,  followed  by  the  sixty  maidens,  walked  between  the 
lines  of  the  cavalcade  to  the  Church  of  St.  Barnaba, 
where  they  heard  Mass.  After  this  the  Lady  Lucrezia, 
her  maids,  and  the  members  of  the  Calza,  with  Sforza, 
Barbaro,  and  the  Brescian  visitors,  took  their  places  in  the 
square  outside  the  church,  and  listened  to  a  eulogy  upon 
the  two  great  families  united  by  this  marriage,  pro- 
nounced from  a  pulpit  by  a  richly  dressed  priest. 


180  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  oration  ended,  Foscari  and  his  bride  returned  to 
the  palace  of  her  father,  while  the  cavalcade  rode  through 
the  city,  displaying  their  horsemanship,  and  engaging  in 
mock  battles  in  the  squares,  to  the  great  delight  of  the 
people. 

In  the  afternoon  a  splendid  repast  was  furnished  at 
the  Ducal  Palace,  and  then  the  Bucentaur  was  rowed  up 
to  the  Piazzetta,  where  a  hundred  ladies  in  costly  dresses 
embarked  and  proceeded  to  the  Palazzo  Contarini.  Here 
they  were  joined  by  the  Lady  Lucrezia  and  her  husband, 
attended  by  another  hundred  ladies.  Then  the  Bucen- 
taur, followed  by  numerous  gayly  decorated  gondolas, 
rowed  to  the  Palace  of  Sforza,  to  the  sound  of  music, 
and  paid  a  visit  of  state  to  the  Captain-General,  who  then 
went  on  board  the  Bucentaur,  and  the  whole  company  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Ducal  Palace.  The  Doge  and  Dogaressa, 
with  a  train  of  fifty  ladies,  met  the  barge  at  the  landing; 
and  they,  with  their  guests  in  procession,  entered  the 
palace,  where  the  evening  was  spent  in  dancing. 

The  next  day  festivities  were  resumed.  Now  a  tourna- 
ment was  given,  in  which  the  nobles  of  Venice  and  their 
honored  guests  tilted  together.  Again  a  regatta  was  held, 
with  large  prizes,  and  the  gondolas  were  brought  out 
which  were  only  seen  at  festivals.  They  were  richly 
carved  and  gilded,  and  fitted  with  curtains  and  cushions 
of  silk  and  velvet.  The  best  rowers  competed  for  the 
prizes,  and  won  them  amid  great  applause.  Each  day 
some  novel  feature  was  introduced.  Acrobats  and  others 
performed  their  feats  of  agility  in  the  squares,  the  bells 
rang  softly  all  day  long,  bands  played  in  the  squares  at 
night,  and  the  people  danced,  while  the  patricians  were 
entertained  at  a  series  of  balls  at  the  palaces  of  the 
nobility.  Thus  ten  days  passed,  and  then,  as  a  finale, 
there  was  a  procession  of  illuminated  boats,  every  seventh 
one  carrying  musicians,  which  passed  through  the  canals, 
and  around  the  islands  near  Venice. 


The  Pia^etta;  Ducal  Palace;  San  Marco. 


THE  TWO  FOSCARI.  181 

But  three  years  elapsed  before  Jacopo  Foscari  was  sus- 
pected of  having  taken  bribes  for  his  services  in  obtaining 
offices  per  broglio,  which  would  be  called  lobbying  in  our 
day.  The  Broglio  was  the  lower  gallery  or  arcade  under 
the  Ducal  Palace,  which  was  a  general  meeting-place  for 
the  higher  classes,  and  where  all  sorts  of  schemes  and 
conspiracies  were  broached,  and  consultations  held;  in 
short,  an  exchange  which  might  be  frequented  for  both 
good  and  evil  purposes. 

The  penalties  for  such  offences  as  those  of  which  the 
young  Foscari  was  accused,  were  very  severe,  and  Jacopo 
was  doomed  to  banishment  in  Naples,  where  each  day  he 
must  present  himself  before  the  representative  of  the 
Republic  in  that  city.  Before  this  sentence  was  pro- 
nounced, Jacopo  had  fled  to  Trieste,  and  there  fell  ill. 
After  some  months  he  was  permitted  to  go  to  Treviso; 
and  at  length,  in  answer  to  a  pathetic  appeal  from  his 
father,  he  was  pardoned,  and  returned  to  Venice. 

Again,  three  years  later,  one  of  the  Council  of  Ten 
who  had  condemned  Jacopo  was  assassinated  as  he  was 
leaving  the  palace.  The  evidence  which  connected  Jacopo 
with  this  murder  was  so  slight  that  it  is  not  worth  recount- 
ing; but  suspicion  of  him  was  strong  enough  to  cause  his 
arrest,  and  it  is  even  said  that  he  was  tortured,  with  no 
result.  He  was  now  banished  to  Candia,  where,  separated 
from  wife  and  children,  from  the  refinements  that  he 
loved,  and  without  congenial  pursuits,  he  suffered  a  rest- 
lessness so  intense  that  he  further  criminated  himself  for 
the  sake  of  returning  to  Venice,  even  though  that  might 
mean  the  rack  anew.  He  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Duke  of 
Milan,  the  enemy  of  Venice,  asking  his  aid  with  the 
Seigniory.  This  letter  he  managed  to  have  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Council,  never  trying  to  send  it  to  Milan  at 
all. 

He  was  also  accused  of  having  addressed  a  letter  to  the 


182  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Sultan,  imploring  him  to  send  a  vessel  to  convey  him 
away  secretly.  He  was  now  brought  to  Venice,  and 
before  the  Council  made  a  full  confession,  no  doubt 
through  fear  of  the  torture-chamber,  so  near  at  hand. 
Some  of  the  Ten  favored  severity.  Loredano  even  wished 
him  to  be  beheaded  between  the  Columns,  but  the  mild 
sentence  of  a  year's  imprisonment  at  Candia  was  the  final 
result.  When  this  sentence  was  given,  he  prayed  that  he 
might  see  his  family,  all  of  whom  had  been  rigidly 
excluded  from  him  and  from  the  court  during  his  trial. 
His  father,  mother,  wife,  and  children  were  permitted  to 
visit  him ;  and  when  the  time  for  his  removal  came,  he  was 
with  them  in  the  Ducal  Palace.  Even  then,  after  all  he 
had  suffered  and  caused  others  to  suffer,  he  did  not  seem 
to  realize  that  the  execution  of  his  sentence  was  as  sure 
as  fate  itself.  He  seemed  rather  to  believe  that  some  one 
could  reverse  it  all ;  and  naturally  that  some  one  seemed 
to  be  the  Doge,  his  father,  who,  alas !  knew  but  too  well 
his  utter  powerlessness. 

Amid  the  sobs  and  kisses  all  around  him,  once  more  he 
cried,  "Father,  I  beseech  you,  make  them  let  me  go 
home!"  But  the  old  Doge,  in  his  despair,  could  only 
reply,  "Jacopo,  go;  obey  the  will  of  the  country,  and  try 
no  more,"  in  saying  which  no  doubt  he  suffered  more  than 
he  who  heard  these  fatal  words. 

All  hearts  were  touched  by  these  terrible  griefs  of  the 
old  Foscari,  and  six  months  later  a  full  pardon  was 
obtained  for  the  son.  But  it  was  too  late.  He  no  longer 
lived  to  be  condemned  or  forgiven.  When  this  news 
came,  the  Doge  was  eighty-four  years  old.  His  courage 
was  gone.  He  could  no  longer  give  heed  to  public  mat- 
ters, nor  could  he  endure  to  sit  in  that  court  which  had 
tortured  and  exiled  the  last  of  his  sons.  And  so  he 
stayed  away ;  and  soon  there  was  a  murmur  against  him, 
and  a  complaint  that  he  no  longer  made  a  pretence  of 


THE  TWO  FOSCARI.  183 

having  authority  and  of  being  necessary  to  the  State,  — 
a  lie  which  he  was  tired  of  acting.  Foscari  had  more 
than  once  proposed  to  retire,  but  the  Council  would  not 
hear  of  it.  Now,  however,  he  was  asked  to  resign  his 
office;  and  when  he  did  not  answer  quickly  enough  to 
please  his  persecutors,  he  was  told  that  if  he  did  not  leave 
the  palace  within  the  next  eight  days,  his  property  would 
be  confiscated.  He  made  no  resistance.  The  ducal  ring 
was  drawn  from  his  finger  and  broken  in  his  presence. 
The  ducal  bonnet  was  taken  from  his  head,  and  he  prom- 
ised to  leave  the  palace  at  once. 

As  the  deputies  left  him,  Foscari  caught  the  eye  of  one, 
Jacopo  Memmo,  who  looked  at  him  with  sympathy  and 
compassion.  He  called  him,  took  his  hand,  and  said, 
"  Whose  son  art  thou  ? "  "I  am  the  son  of  Marin 
Memmo. "  And  then  the  Doge :  "  He  is  my  dear  friend. 
Tell  him  from  me  that  it  would  be  sweet  to  me  if  he  would 
come  to  pay  me  a  visit,  and  go  in  my  bark  with  me  for  a 
little  pleasure.  We  might  visit  the  monasteries." 

That  very  day  the  Doge  left  the  palace  with  his  old 
brother  Marco,  followed  by  his  household.  Marco  said, 
"It  is  better  to  go  to  the  boat  by  the  stair  that  is 
covered;"  but  the  old  Doge  replied,  "I  will  go  down  by 
the  same  stair  that  I  came  up  when  I  was  made  Doge." 
And  then  they  rowed  away  to  the  splendid  palace  to  which 
Jacopo  had  taken  Lucrezia  Contarini  sixteen  years  before, 
—  the  house  that  we  may  still  see  on  the  point  of  the 
Grand  Canal,  where  it  turns  to  the  east,  with  the  water 
on  two  sides,  and  its  fine  old  gateway  on  the  small  canal 
at  the  back.  Here,  in  1574,  Francis  I.  was  lodged,  it 
being  thought  more  suited  to  his  royalty  than  any  other 
in  all  Venice. 

And  here,  many  years  before,  on  Oct.  24,  1457, 
came  the  old  Foscari  to  die.  The  new  Doge  was  elected 
on  the  31st;  and  on  All  Souls  Day,  when  the  new  prince 


184  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

went  to  San  Marco  to  Mass,  Foscari's  son-in-law  there 
announced  that  Foscari  was  no  more.  His  funeral  was 
magnificent  The  new  Doge  was  obliged  to  loan  his 
crown  to  his  predecessor,  when  he  was  laid  in  state  in  the 
palace  from  which  he  had  been  expelled  but  one  short 
week  before.  Every  honor  was  bestowed  on  him,  dead, 
that  the  Republic  could  give.  He  was  carried  to  the 
Frari,  with  many  tapers  lighting  his  way ;  and,  to  quote 
Mrs.  Oliphant,  "there  he  lies  under  a  weight  of  sculp- 
tured marble,  his  sufferings  all  over  for  five  hundred 
years  and  more ;  but  never  the  story  of  his  greatness,  his 
wrongs,  and  sorrows,  which  last  gave  him  such  claims 
upon  the  recollection  of  mankind  as  no  magnificence  nor 
triumph  can  bestow. " 

When  the  bell  rang 

At  dawn,  announcing  a  new  Doge  to  Venice, 
It  found  him  on  his  knees  before  the  Cross, 
Clasping  his  aged  hands  in  earnest  prayer; 
And  there  he  died.    Ere  half  its  task  was  done, 
It  rang  his  knell. 

ROGERS. 

So  intense  was  the  excitement  in  Venice,  caused  by  the 
deposition  and  death  of  the  old  Doge,  that  the  Senate  for- 
bade "  the  affair  of  Francesco  Foscari  to  be  mentioned  on 
pain  of  death. " 

FRANCESCO   CARMAGNOLA. 

The  story  of  Jacopo  Foscari  affords  a  striking  commen- 
tary upon  the  changes  which  had  come  over  the  armies 
of  the  Republic.  It  would  seem  that  the  want  of  any 
serious  and  engrossing  occupation  —  a  sort  of  elegant 
idleness  —  had  led  Jacopo  to  his  misfortunes;  and  this 
idleness  would  not  have  been  possible  during  so  stirring 
a  period  as  that  of  his  father's  reign,  if  the  Venetians 
had  still  done  their  own  fighting  as  they  did  it  in  the 
reign  of  Enrico  Dandolo. 


FRANCESCO  CARMAGNOLA.  185 

In  Foscari's  day  it  had  come  to  be  the  custom,  all  over 
Italy  and  in  other  countries  of  Europe,  to  hire  men  to 
kill  and  be  killed  for  money.  Mercenary  troops  they 
were  fitly  called;  for  they  not  only  received  their  hire, 
but  they  robbed  the  peasant  of  his  harvest,  and  from  the 
wealthy  land-owner  they  extorted  gold.  Venice  had 
employed  these  bands  when  they  were  made  up  of  Bretons, 
Hungarians,  Gascons,  and  other  men,  who  spoke  no 
Italian,  and  thought  solely  of  gain ;  but  by  the  middle  of 
the  fifteenth  century  the  Free  Lances  had  come  to  be  an 
organized  institution,  with  unwritten  laws,  which  were 
well  understood  by  them  and  by  their  employers ;  and  the 
general  or  leader  of  these  bands  who  was  not  successful 
was  in  much  danger  of  having  his  head  taken  off  by  the 
Seigneur  or  the  government  he  served,  on  the  charge  of 
treason.  A  most  famous  leader  of  one  of  these  bands  of 
condottieri  was  Francesco  Carmagnola. 

The  name  of  his  father  was  Bussone;  but  the  soldier 
took  his  name  from  the  town,  near  Turin,  in  which  he 
was  born,  in  1390.  While  he,  as  a  boy,  tended  flocks 
upon  his  native  hills,  the  clash  of  arms  and  the  noise  of 
battle  which  filled  all  Europe  reached  even  his  ears ;  and 
fired  with  desire  for  adventure,  he  deserted  the  first  duty  of 
his  life,  and  through  one  chance  and  another  entered  the 
service  of  Facino  Cane,  a  great  general  in  the  service  of 
the  Duke  of  Milan.  Carmagnola  soon  proved  his  fitness 
for  the  profession  he  had  chosen,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  the 
jealousy  of  Cane  would  have  permitted  him  to  come  to 
the  front.  It  may  therefore  be  said  to  have  been  the 
making  of  his  fortune  when  Facino  Cane  and  Gian  Maria 
Visconti  died  on  the  same  day,  and  Filippo  Maria  Visconti 
became  the  head  of  the  house;  for  when  this  young 
prince  needed  a  general,  he  chose  Carmagnola,  who 
embraced  his  cause  zealously,  and  at  once  took  Milan  for 
him,  and  subsequently,  one  after  the  other,  overcame,  the 


186  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

cities  which  had  revolted.  Naturally  this  was  a  work  of 
time;  and  meanwhile  the  great  captain  was  high  in  the 
favor  of  his  prince,  held  a  conspicuous  position  at  court, 
and  was  the  chief  counsellor  of  the  Duke  in  all  important 
matters. 

So  distinguished  had  he  become  that  the  Duke  had 
given  him  a  wife  from  his  own  family,  with  the  privilege 
of  bearing  the  name  of  Visconti,  and  the  arms  of  that 
reigning  house  were  also  conferred  on  him.  To  the  large 
booty  won  in  his  service  great  wealth  had  been  added, 
and  this  peasant  soldier  lived  in  Milan  in  a  style  suited  to 
his  riches  and  his  wife's  birth.  He  was  in  the  midst  of 
erecting  the  Broletto,  a  royal  palace  (now  used  for  muni- 
cipal purposes),  when  the  shadows  of  misfortune  first  fell 
on  him.  This  was  in  1424,  when  Foscari  had  been  Doge 
of  Venice  for  a  year,  and  twelve  years  after  Duke  Filippo 
Maria  had  made  Carmagnola  his  captain-general. 

This  Duke  suffered  much  from  morbid  timidity.  His 
sensitiveness  as  to  his  personal  appearance  amounted  to 
torture,  and  caused  him  to  seek  a  seclusion  that  but 
increased  his  morbidness.  He  was  so  suspicious  of  all 
who  served  him  that  he  made  it  the  duty  of  one  set  of 
guards  to  watch  over  another,  and  so  on,  through  several 
relays,  and  then  purposed  himself  to  watch  the  last.  The 
fear  of  murder  haunted  him,  and  he  used  all  his  ingenuity 
in  devising  schemes  of  self-protection,  such  as  constantly 
changing  his  apartments,  and  other  methods  equally  futile 
if  his  fears  were  well  grounded. 

He  married  the  widow  of  Facino  Cane,  Carmagnola's 
first  commander,  and  through  the  conquests  and  efficient 
counsels  of  his  great  captain,  the  Duke  was  now  the 
master  of  the  Lombard  plains  and  many  wealthy  cities, 
while  he  was  respected  as  well  as  feared  by  his  rivals. 
Finally  Carmagnola  had  added  Genoa  to  his  other  con- 
quests ;  and  this  proud  rival  of  Venice,  with  her  commerce 


FRANCESCO  CARMAGNOLA.  187 

and  her  splendid  harbor,  seemed  to  complete  the  glory  of 
the  Duke  of  Milan.  It  may  be  that  it  was  all  suspicion 
on  the  part  of  the  Duke  (when  one  has  such  a  nature  as 
his,  who  can  tell  ?  ) ;  but  at  all  events,  it  would  seem  that 
the  glory  which  this  last  success  brought  to  the  Captain 
was  more  than  the  Duke  could  support.  He  feared  lest 
Carmagnola  should  become  too  powerful,  and  naturally 
there  were  enemies  of  the  successful  man  who  were  only 
too  ready  to  encourage  suspicions  against  him ;  and  though 
there  had  been  no  thought  of  treachery  imputed  to  him, 
the  Duke  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  troop  of  three 
hundred  horse,  which  had  been  Carmagnola's  special 
command. 

He  implored  the  Duke  not  to  deprive  him  of  his  sol- 
diers, without  which  his  life  would  be  wretched.  But  to 
his  prayers  no  answer  was  made,  and  he  began  to  perceive 
that  evil  influences  were  working  against  him.  He  was 
at  Genoa,  of  which  place  he  had  been  made  governor,  and 
the  Duke  was  at  a  fortress  on  the  borders  of  Piedmont, 
not  far  away;  and  his  letters  not  being  answered,  he 
determined  to  face  the  Prince.  In  full  assurance  of 
regaining  the  confidence  of  the  man  for  whom  he  had  done 
so  much,  he  set  out  with  all  the  impulsiveness  of  a 
generous  nature. 

Imagine  his  surprise  when,  arrived  at  Abbiate,  he  was 
not  permitted  to  pass  the  bridge  into  the  castle.  The 
guards  had  been  forbidden  to  admit  their  Commander-in- 
chief.  However,  he  did  not  yet  understand  that  he  was 
insulted,  and  sent  word  to  the  Duke  that  he  desired  an 
audience.  The  answer  directed  him  to  communicate  with 
Riccio  (his  deadly  foe),  as  the  Duke  was  too  busy  to  see 
him.  Carmagnola  curbed  his  pride  and  anger,  and  again 
sent  to  say  that  his  message  was  for  the  ear  of  the  Duke 
alone ;  and  to  this  no  answer  was  vouchsafed. 

As  he  waited  with  a  handful  of  followers  on  the  bridge, 


188  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

his  only  answer  being  a  command  to  speak  to  his  well- 
known  enemy,  he  thought  he  saw  the  face  of  the  Duke  at 
a  loophole  above.  As  he  looked  down  on  the  scene 
around  him,  he  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  his  own 
hirelings,  who  were  only  too  glad  to  see  their  peasant 
captain  humbled.  The  fire  of  his  rage  flamed  forth,  and 
he  called  God  to  witness  his  innocence  of  any  wrong  to 
the  Duke,  in  thought  or  deed,  and  then  accused  his 
enemies  as  perfidious  traitors,  and  swore  a  solemn  oath 
that  they  should  soon  feel  the  want  of  him  to  whom  they 
would  not  now  listen. 

He  turned  his  horse  and  rode  towards  the  Ticino,  the 
border  of  Savoy,  his  native  province.  This  much  alarmed 
the  conspirators,  who  were  watching  from  the  castle,  and 
an  attempt  was  made  to  call  him  back;  but  he  rushed 
furiously  on,  and  stopped  not  until  he  reached  the  castle 
of  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  to  whom  he  told  his  story  and 
offered  his  services.  But  Amadeo  was  a  clear-headed, 
cautious  man,  and  well  knew  that  he  could  not  compete 
with  Milan;  and  Carmagnola,  seeing  that  there  was  no 
hope  for  him  here,  remembered  that  he  knew  of  a  power 
greater  than  that  of  Milan,  and  cautiously  made  his  way 
to  Venice.  He  was  received  with  the  distinction  which 
his  fame  as  a  soldier  commanded,  and  possibly  more,  just 
at  the  time  of  his  arrival,  when  there  was  already  a  ques- 
tion of  war  with  Milan,  in  behalf  of  Florence. 

Envoys  from  Milan  and  Florence  were  already  at  Venice 
when  Carmagnola  arrived,  and  the  whole  city  was  full  of 
excitement.  Indeed  it  was  a  curious  thing  to  watch  the 
representatives  of  these  two  Italian  States,  so  near  to  each 
other  geographically,  both  of  one  nation  and  tongue,  and 
yet  so  different,  —  the  Florentines  grave,  and  occupied 
only  in  the  serious  affairs  which  had  brought  them  hither; 
the  Milanese,  gay  in  dress  and  manner,  carelessly  pass- 
ing here  and  there,  as  if  their  only  object  were  to  see  the 


FRANCESCO  CARMAGNOLA.  189 

sights  in  this  Queen  of  the  Sea,  of  which  they  had  heard 
so  much.  But  they  could  scarcely  have  failed  to  have 
some  uneasy  thoughts  when  they  saw  Carmagnola  there. 
The  man  whom  they  had  driven  from  their  midst  by 
unjust  accusations,  the  man  whom  they  had  insulted  and 
betrayed,  was  not  likely  to  help  their  cause  with  the 
Republic,  nor  speak  to  the  Senate  in  accord  with  the 
representations  they  would  there  make.  But  all  must 
have  the  privilege  of  speech,  and  the  interest  to  hear  was 
very  great  with  the  Venetians. 

The  Florentine  Ridolfi  was  the  first  to  whom  the  Doge 
and  Senate  listened.  He  made  a  passionate  and  moving 
appeal,  begging  that  the  Venetians  would  unite  with  the 
Florentines  to  curb  the  power  of  Milan,  and  warning  them 
that  when  Philip  had  once  overcome  Florence  he  would 
find  the  means  to  conquer  Venice  also.  The  Senate  was 
greatly  moved  by  his  eloquence  and  the  force  of  his  argu- 
ments, but  they  were  divided  between  sympathy  for 
Florence  and  hesitation  at  the  enormous  cost  of  aiding 
her,  between  fear  of  Philip  for  themselves  and  doubt  of 
his  ability  to  overcome  and  dominate  Florence  and  Venice; 
and  they  thought  it  best  to  listen  to  the  Milanese  before 
expressing  themselves  to  the  Florentines. 

Very  different  from  the  earnest  pleading  of  Ridolfi  was 
the  bravado  of  the  orator  from  Milan.  He  declared  that 
he  and  his  companions  had  come  on  no  important  embassy, 
but  simply  to  pay  their  respects  to  Venice  and  her  Senate 
in  the  name  of  their  Duke.  They  had  no  league  to  make, 
no  favors  to  ask,  since  the  treaties  which  existed  between 
Milan  and  the  Republic  were  still  unbroken.  He  then 
represented  the  Florentines  as  false  men,  whose  speech 
was  full  of  lies.  He  declared  that  though  the  former 
rulers  of  Milan  had  been  enemies  of  the  Venetians,  Duke 
Philip  was  their  friend,  as  the  Visconti  had  been  for  a 
century,  and  that  he  desired  peace  and  repose,  being  "  the 


190  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

very  model  of  liberality  and  courtesy."  In  fact,  no  new 
light  was  thrown  on  any  subject  by  the  speech  of  the 
Milanese,  and  the  Senators  were  much  divided  in  their 
opinions.  A  part  were  for  immediate  war  with  Philip, 
who  only  desired  to  speak  them  fair  until  he  could  over- 
come Florence ;  the  others  begged  for  greater  caution,  and 
recalled  the  truth  that  to  begin  a  struggle  was  much  easier 
than  to  end  it. 

It  was  now  Carmagnola's  turn,  and  a  new  wrong  which 
he  had  suffered  filled  his  wrath  to  the  full.  At  Treviso 
an  attempt  had  been  made  to  poison  him.  It  had  failed, 
and  the  perpetrator  of  the  act  had  paid  for  it  with  his 
life;  but  it  had  turned  the  feeling  of  injury  which  Car- 
magnola  had  cherished  before  into  fierce  hatred,  and  he 
appeared  before  the  Venetian  Senate  with  fire  in  his  heart 
and  on  his  tongue.  With  hot  words  he  depicted  the 
benefits  he  had  conferred  on  Philip,  and  the  base  ingrati- 
tude with  which  he  had  been  treated.  He  declared  that 
he  had  received  no  rewards,  but  simply  the  just  hire  for 
what  he  had  accomplished;  and  now,  he  said,  the  prince 
he  had  thus  served  had  not  only  wounded  and  insulted 
him,  not  only  turned  his  back  on  him,  and  driven  him 
into  exile,  but  he  had  sought  to  kill  him,  —  not  in  a  fair 
and  open  battle,  such  as  soldiers  love,  but  in  the  way  of 
the  cowardly  assassin,  with  poison.  He  then  congratu- 
lated himself  on  his  preservation,  and  declared  that 
although  he  had  left  his  wife,  his  children,  and  his 
wealth  in  the  country  he  had  lost,  he  was  still  fortunate 
in  that  he  had  found  a  country  where  justice  was  honored 
and  villains  did  not  rule. 

Carmagnola  then  represented  that  Philip  was  far  less 
powerful  than  he  was  thought  by  the  Florentines;  that 
his  soldiers  were  not  paid,  his  citizens  were  not  rich,  and 
his  own  means  were  much  exhausted;  that  the  Duke's 
successes  had  depended  on  himself;  and  that  without  him 


FRANCESCO  CARMAGNOLA.  191 

Philip  was  weaker  than  the  Florentines,  and  much  weaker 
than  Venice.  And  finally  he  offered  his  services  to  the 
Republic,  promising  to  increase  its  dominions  and  to  con- 
quer Philip,  and  declaring  that  though  they  might  have 
had  greater  commanders,  none  had  been  more  loyal  than 
he  would  be  to  Venice,  and  none  had  ever  hated  her 
enemies  as  he  hated  the  Milanese. 

The  speech  of  Ridolfi  had  appealed  to  the  intellects  of 
the  Senators,  but  that  of  Carmagnola  moved  both  their 
heads  and  hearts,  and  almost  all  pronounced  for  war. 
Foscari  followed;  and  an  old  chronicler  says  that  "the 
energetic  speech  and  great  influence  of  the  Doge,  which 
was  greater  than  that  of  any  prince  before  him,"  decided 
the  Senate  to  make  the  league  with  the  Florentines.  War 
was  at  once  declared  against  Milan,  and  Carmagnola  was 
made  general  of  the  forces.  He  speedily  led  to  action  the 
soldiers  who  were  ready,  while  all  Italy  was  scoured  for 
recruits. 

The  first  point  of  attack  was  Brescia,  and  the  story  of 
its  possession  is  indeed  a  sad  one.  Historians  disagree 
as  to  the  extent  of  blame  to  be  fixed  on  Carmagnola ;  but 
at  the  best,  as  Bigli  gives  it,  it  seems  a  cold-blooded 
betrayal  of  the  many  Brescian  friends  of  the"  great  cap- 
tain. By  the  aid  of  two  men  within  the  city,  at  the  dead 
of  night,  Carmagnola  marched  his  troops  into  the  Piazza, 
the  very  centre  of  the  city,  and  suddenly,  with  an  illumi- 
nation of  torches  and  blare  of  trumpets,  announced  his 
sovereignty  in  the  name  of  Venice,  which  he  now  served. 
The  historian  says:  "Though  at  first  dismayed  by  the 
clang  of  the  trumpets  and  arms,  as  soon  as  they  [the 
inhabitants]  perceived  that  it  was  Carmagnola,  they 
remained  quiet  in  their  houses,  except  those  who  rushed 
forth  to  welcome  the  besiegers,  or  who  had  private  rela- 
tions with  the  General.  No  movement  was  made  from 
any  of  the  fortified  places  in  the  city." 


192  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

So  far  all  had  gone  well,  but  the  real  work  was  yet  to 
be  done ;  and  it  was  only  after  seven  months  of  siege,  of 
trenching  and  assaults,  of  shutting  out  supplies,  and 
many  tasks  which  demanded  infinite  skill  and  patience, 
that  Carmagnola  was  master  of  the  city  with  all  its 
wealth,  —  a  splendid  conquest  for  Venice.  Brescia  being 
actually  reduced,  the  villages  and  castles  belonging  to  it 
surrendered  without  resistance,  and  as  far  as  the  Lago  di 
Garda  the  sovereignty  of  the  Republic  was  acknowledged. 

Philip  was  furious,  but  as  he  was  in  no  condition  just 
then  to  make  war,  he  employed  a  legate  of  the  Pope  to 
make  peace  for  him;  and  this  was  accomplished  at  the 
cost  of  his  relinquishing,  not  only  Brescia,  but  a  portion 
of  the  Cremonese  territory,  in  all  nearly  forty  miles  in 
extent 

Meantime,  in  all  these  months,  there  had  been  some 
mysterious  elements  in  the  conduct  of  Carmagnola,  which 
by  no  means  escaped  the  all-searching  eye  of  Venice. 
Very  early  in  the  siege  of  Brescia  he  had  left  the  author- 
ity with  his  chief  engineer,  and  after  a  plundering  expedi- 
tion on  Lago  di  Garda,  had  retired  to  the  Baths  of  Abano, 
pleading  that  an  old  wound  in  his  thigh  gave  him  so  much 
pain  as  to  unfit  him  for  service.  The  Venetians  regarded 
this  as  a  hint  for  some  benefit  to  be  conferred  on  their 
Captain-General,  and  they  promptly  made  him  a  noble  of 
Venice,  with  the  title  of  Count  of  Castelnuovo,  and 
offered  him  a  principality  in  Cremonese  territory  if  he 
would  rejoin  his  army  and  push  his  victory  across  the 
river  Adda. 

The  Duke  of  Milan,  on  his  part,  was  pursuing  a  tor- 
tuous policy,  by  which  he  set  a  snare  for  the  great  Free 
Lance.  He  determined  to  make  it  appear  that  he  had 
some  understanding  with  Carmagnola.  His  envoys  were 
constantly  seeking  the  General,  and  whenever  Philip 
made  any  proposals  to  Venice,  he  named  this  officer  as 


FRANCESCO  CARMAGNOLA.  193 

his  ambassador.  Carmagnola  was  weak  enough  to  be 
flattered  by  this.  He  believed  that  he  was  absolutely 
essential  to  both  Venice  and  Milan,  that  everything 
revolved  around  him,  and  that  he  might  decide  the  fate 
of  these  two  powers  from  his  retirement  at  the  Baths 
of  Abano. 

The  treaty  which  followed  the  fall  of  Brescia  was 
signed  in  December,  1425,  and  in  one  clause  of  it  the 
Duke  promised  to  restore  to  Carmagnola  his  property  in 
Lombardy;  but  Visconti  broke  this  as  well  as  other  stipu- 
lations of  the  treaty,  and  it  soon  became  evident  that  war 
was  again  inevitable.  In  February,  1427,  Carmagnola 
was  summoned  to  Venice  to  aid  the  government  in  its 
plans  for  a  new  campaign.  Soon  after  his  arrival  his  wife 
joined  him,  and  was  accorded,  by  the  Seigniory,  a  splen- 
did reception,  in  which  neither  trouble  nor  money  was 
spared ;  and  thus  the  Senate  indicated  to  its  Captain  that 
his  faithful  service  would  be  fully  recognized  by  the 
Republic. 

The  second  campaign  more  plainly  revealed  the  slug- 
gishness of  Carmagnola.  In  spite  of  the  impatience  of 
Venice  and  the  magnificence  of  the  rewards  she  promised, 
there  was  no  activity.  Again  the  Duke  was  full  of 
intrigue,  and  pretended  intelligence  with  the  Venetian 
commander.  It  began  to  be  understood  at  Venice  that 
Carmagnola  was  neither  as  great  nor  as  sincere  as  the 
Senate  had  believed  when  he  first  addressed  them;  and 
their  distrust  was  not  lessened  when  again  the  Duke 
proposed  terms  of  peace  through  the  mediation  of  his 
sometime  friend  and  commander. 

Casal  Maggiore  had  been  retaken  by  the  Milanese. 
Angry  letters  were  sent  to  Carmagnola,  who  replied  that 
when  the  proper  time  arrived  he  would  recover  it  in  three 
days.  This  he  did ;  but  as  he  wished  to  free  all  his  pris- 
oners, according  to  the  then  custom  of  war,  and  as  the 

13 


194  TIIE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Republic  was  a  law  to  herself,  and  did  not  aim  to  follow 
the  rules  of  mercenaries,  there  was  a  direct  disagivt'im-nt 
at  once.  The  Senate  ordered  the  captured  garrisons  to 
be  detained.  Carmagnola  obeyed,  but  considered  it  a  dis- 
grace to  his  honor  as  a  soldier.  He  so  resented  this 
infringement  of  his  authority  that  he  allowed  his  oppor- 
tunities to  slip  away  unimproved.  The  Duke  was  now 
sorely  pressed  by  Savoy,  as  well  as  Venice,  and  yet  Car- 
magnola refrained  from  entering  his  territory,  and  quietly 
remained  in  camp  at  Casalsecco  and  on  Lago  d'  Iseo ;  ami 
it  was  not  until  October,  1427,  that  by  the  battle  of 
Macalo  he  retrieved  his  fame,  and  restored  the  Venetians 
to  good-will  towards  him,  in  spite  of  the  great  dissatis- 
faction and  grave  suspicions  of  him  which  they  had  enter- 
tained for  months. 

A  house  in  Venice  at  San  Eustachio  was  given  him, 
with  Castenedolo  in  the  Bresciano  for  himself  and  his 
heirs ;  and  two  nobles  were  sent  to  convey  the  thanks  of 
the  Republic  to  him,  and  at  the  same  time  to  exhort  him 
to  follow  up  his  victory  at  Macalo  with  a  series  of  equally 
splendid  triumphs,  which  were  clearly  within  his  reach. 
The  government  also  suggested  that  the  time  had  arrived 
for  passing  the  Adda,  and  ending  the  war  by  a  glorious 
victory  which  would  insure  an  honorable  peace. 

But  it  seemed  that  Macalo  was  deemed  sufficient  by 
Carmagnola  to  quiet  Venice  for  a  time;  and  though  nil 
Italy  agreed  in  the  view  of  his  employers,  he  did  no  more, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  year  asked  for  permission  to  go 
again  to  the  Baths.  The  disgust  of  the  Venetians  may 
easily  be  imagined;  but  as  the  Duke  had  already  begun 
negotiations  for  peace  through  the  friendly  offices  of  the 
Pope,  an  ungracious  consent  was  yielded  to  the  request  of 
their  general ;  and  as  the  envoys  of  the  Duke  came  to  him, 
even  at  Abano,  he  fancied  that  he  could  return  to  Milan 
whenever  he  willed.  He  was  playing  a  game  for  himself, 


FRANCESCO   CAKMAGNOLA. 

like  a  true  mercenary  soldier,  and  lie  desired  \\\  his  rtlug- 
gishness  to  lay  the  Duke  under  obligations  I"  him.  No 
doubt  he  intended  to  return  to  the  service  of  Visconti, 
whose  constant  wars  brought  him  great  wealth  in  booty; 
and  then  his  half-finished  palace  was  then-,  ami  \\c  can 
readily  imagine  that  his  wife  desired  to  return  to  her  m\  n 
country. 

While  he  was  at  Abano  the  negotiations  proceeded, 
and  a  peace  which  was  advantageous  to  Venice  \\as  signed 
on  the  19th  of  April,  H'JS.  Almost  iinniedi.ii,  l\  Car 
magnola  made  a  triumphant  entry  into  Venice,  and  his 
old  father  came  to  see  how  his  mm  was  honored  |>y  the 
Republic.  Forty  years  ago  u  peasant -herder,  he  was  no\v 
a  noble  of  the  proudest  republic  of  Italy.  Days  of  festivi- 
ties followed.  Venice  had  not  reali/ed  her  fullest  hopes; 
but  the  Peace  of  Ferrara  gave  her  Brescia  and  Bergamo, 
and  added  much  to  her  territory  and  her  importance. 

But  no  peace  with  Milan  could  he  long  maintained,  and 
soon  the  Senate  knew  that  a  third  war  was  inevitable. 
They  had  paid  Carmagnola  the  customary  refaining-fco, 
and  felt  themselves  <jnil,e  secure  of  their  leader,  \\hen 
suddenly,  just  as  hostilities  seemed  imminent,  lie,  sent,  in 
his  resignation.  When  the  Senate  met  to  consider  this 
outrageous  act,  Carmagnola  distinctly  stated  his  price, 
He  must  have  a  thousand  ducats  a  month,  in  peace  or 
war.  And  now  the  mortification  of  Venice  was  com- 
plete. Through  distrust  of  her  own  sons,  and  by  her 
own  laws,  no  Venetian  gentleman  could  command  more 
than  seventy-five  men.  Had  their  General  been  one  of 
their  own  countrymen,  with  Venetian  soldiers,  as  in  the 
old  days,  how  great  would  the  diff< -r<  ;.  <  u!  But 

now,  with  the  Duke  of  Milan  ready  to  attack  them,  thejr 
were  at  the  mercy  of  the  great  condottiere. 

The  war  actually  began  in  1430,  and  this  third  cam' 
paign  seemed  only  to  emphasize  the  conduct  of  the  second 


196  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Carmagnola  was  more  inactive.  The  Duke  sent  his  envoys 
to  the  General  with  greater  frequency.  The  Venetians 
were  less  patient,  especially  as  the  audacity  of  their  Gen- 
eral became  more  and  more  surprising.  In  spite  of  offers 
to  reward  him  with  the  lordship  of  Milan  if  he  would 
reduce  it,  he  refused  to  move.  He  attempted  no  conceal- 
ment of  his  constant  communication  with  Philip.  He 
even  wrote  to  the  Senate  concerning  the  envoys  who  were 
with  him,  and  took  no  warning  from  the  sullen  replies  he 
received.  He  was  trifling  with  Venice,  and  did  not  try 
to  hide  it;  and  he  was  not  intriguing  with  the  Duke, 
although  the  latter  intended  to  make  it  appear  so,  and 
succeeded  in  his  plan. 

According  to  Sabellico,  the  discussions  of  the  Senate 
over  the  best  way  to  treat  Carmagnola  went  on  for  months. 
There  were  those  who  had  always  distrusted  him.  Others 
refused  to  desert  his  cause  unless  proofs  of  his  treachery 
could  be  given.  The  General  was  in  Venice  during  these 
discussions,  but  had  no  suspicions  of  them.  This  proves 
the  perfect  faith  of  the  councillors,  for  his  friends  would 
not  tell  him  any  sooner  than  his  enemies;  and  though 
there  were  those  of  them  who  greatly  needed  the  rewards 
that  the  General  would  so  generously  have  given  for  the 
information,  not  one  would  speak.  The  great  court  of 
the  palace  has  been  the  scene  of  comedy  and  tragedy, 
many  times  repeated;  but  one  act  in  the  Carmagnola 
drama  which  occurred  here  is  by  no  means  the  least  inter- 
esting of  these  events. 

One  morning  as  the  General  went  to  pay  his  respects  to 
Foscari,  he  met  him  passing  from  the  Council  Chamber  to 
the  Palace.  The  soldier  cheerfully  asked  if  he  should  bid 
his  Serenity  good  morning  or  good  evening,  as  he  had  not 
slept  that  night.  To  which  the  Doge  smilingly  replied 
that  among  the  many  matters  spoken  of  in  the  long  dis- 
cussion nothing  had  been  more  frequently  mentioned  than 


FRANCESCO  CARMAGNOLA.  197 

Carmagnola's  name,  —  a  ghastly  joke  when  we  know  that 
the  discussion  involved  the  soldier's  life. 

At  last  the  whole  matter  was  put  in  the  hands  of  the 
Council  of  Ten,  who  at  once  invited  the  General  to  come 
to  Venice  to  consult  on  matters  of  importance.  Utterly 
unsuspicious,  he  set  out  at  once ;  and  all  along  his  way, 
on  the  plains  of  Lombardy,  as  he  rode,  or  as  he  sailed 
down  the  Brenta,  he  was  honored  and  welcomed  as  if  he 
were  a  royal  personage.  At  Mestre  he  was  met  by  eight 
gentlemen,  who  blandly  escorted  him  to  his  fate.  We 
may  well  wonder  of  what  they  talked  to  him,  —  if  they 
told  him  of  his  wife  and  daughter  who  were  expecting  his 
return;  or  were  they  silent  and  abstracted,  as  if  pre- 
occupied with  the  grave  questions  to  be  discussed  with 
him  before  the  Council  ?  They  conducted  him  directly  to 
the  palace,  and  there  dismissed  his  retainers,  saying  that 
their  master  would  be  long  detained  by  the  Doge,  who  had 
much  to  say  to  him. 

Not  finding  the  Doge,  Carmagnola  turned  to  go  to  his 
own  house ;  and  then  his  friends,  under  pretext  of  showing 
him  a  shorter  way,  conducted  him  through  intricate  pas- 
sages into  the  prisons.  When  he  saw  to  what  place  he 
had  been  led,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  a  lost  man ! "  And 
when  his  friends  endeavored  to  console  him,  he  replied, 
"No,  no!  we  do  not  cage  the  birds  we  mean  to  set  at 
liberty." 

It  is  easy  to  understand  that  the  Seigniory  were  deter- 
mined on  his  death.  They  would  be  free  of  him,  and  did 
not  wish  him  to  serve  any  other  power.  It  is  said  that 
the  Doge  favored  his  imprisonment  for  life ;  but,  be  that 
as  it  may,  he  was  examined  and  tortured,  and  finally  led, 
with  a  gag  in  his  mouth,  to  the  Piazzetta,  and  there 
decapitated  "between  the  Columns."  He  was  buried  in  a 
church  which  no  longer  exists,  and  later  his  remains  were 
taken  to  Milan.  His  family  was  banished  to  Treviso, 


198  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

with  a  small  pension,  and  commanded  not  to  pass  beyond 
certain  limits  under  pain  of  death.  Strangely  enough, 
what  became  of  them  is  not  known. 

Severe  as  Venice  was  in  her  treatment  of  her  great 
mercenary,  and  stupidly  as  he  acted  his  part,  they  were 
both  consistent  with  their  position  and  character.  He 
was  an  adventurer,  thinking  only  of  himself,  —  not  a 
traitor  in  the  usual  sense  of  the  word,  and  yet  untrue  to 
the  interests  he  was  most  generously  paid  to  protect. 
Venice  was  unforgiving  of  lighter  sins  than  those  of 
Carmagnola;  and  in  accordance  with  her  views  and 
policy,  he  must  die.  Each  acted  logically  and  consist- 
ently from  the  stand-point  of  the  principle,  or  want  of 
principle,  by  which  they  were  governed.  Carmagnola 
would  offer  a  favorable  subject  for  the  dramatic  dissection 
of  character  which  is  so  popular  in  our  day.  And  for  one 
thing  he  must  be  remembered  and  admired,  —  he  was  not 
a  traitor  in  deed,  whatever  he  was  in  thought ;  and  this 
can  be  said  of  none  of  his  fellow-captains.  They  all, 
sooner  or  later,  betrayed  one  master  for  another;  and  this 
fact  entitles  Carmagnola  to  be  called  THE  GREAT  SOLDIER 

OF  FORTUNE. 

BARTOLOMMEO  COLLEONI. 

This  condottiere  is  called  Coglioni  by  his  biographer, 
Spino,  who  tells  us  that  he  was  born  near  Bergamo,  in 
1400.  His  father,  a  noble  of  no  exalted  rank,  was  driven 
from  his  fortress  by  a  conspiracy  in  his  family;  and 
Bartolommeo  and  his  brothers  very  naturally  sought  mili- 
tary service  and  pay,  according  to  the  custom  of  their 
time. 

Having  acquired  a  certain  recognition  in  the  service  of 
the  Queen  of  Naples,  Colleoni,  with  forty  horsemen, 
entered  the  service  of  Venice  at  the  beginning  of  the  first 
campaign  under  Carmagnola.  Did  we  credit  his  bio- 


BARTOLOMMEO  COLLEONI.  199 

grapher  with  perfect  truthfulness,  we  should  esteem  him 
to  be  already  a  great  soldier.  There  is  no  doubt  that  he 
did  good  service  at  Bergamo,  when,  with  his  own  horse- 
men and  three  hundred  infantry,  he  warned  the  Bergamese 
of  the  approach  of  the  army  under  Piccinino,  and  helped 
them  to  prepare  for  the  attack  so  well  that  the  Milanese 
were  forced  to  retire. 

In  1448  Colleoni  was  made  a  lieutenant  in  the  army 
of  Sforza,  as  undisturbed  by  his  change  from  the  enemy 
to  the  friend  of  Milan  as  possible.  In  1455  he  was  made 
the  Captain-General  of  Venice,  and  remained  in  that 
position  ten  years ;  but  even  while  he  held  so  important  a 
post,  the  mention  of  him  in  the  Venetian  records  is  quite 
unimportant,  until  in  1475  it  was  recorded  that  he  had 
died  at  his  castle  of  Malpaga,  where  he  had  lived  in  great 
luxury. 

To  the  Republic  he  bequeathed  arms,  horses,  and  other 
objects  of  value,  with  216,000  ducats  in  money,  on  condi- 
tion that  his  statue  should  be  placed  in  the  Piazza  of  San 
Marco.  The  Seigniory  were  overwhelmed  by  this  liberality, 
and  were  anxious  to  show  their  appreciation  of  Colleoni, 
but  their  laws  forbade  compliance  with  his  ambitious 
request  to  stand  forever  in  their  Piazza.  The  Senate, 
however,  considered  that  the  condition  was  sufficiently 
fulfilled  by  placing  the  statue  in  the  Campo  in  front  of 
the  Scuola  di  San  Marco,  and  near  San  Zanipolo,  where 
it  now  stands,  —  a  horse  and  rider  so  alive,  so  full  of 
force  and  motion,  that  it  seems  like  a  guardian  of  Venice, 
that  would  tread  under  foot  any  foe  who  came  to  harm 
her. 

This  was  the  second  equestrian  statue  cast  in  Italy; 
that  of  Guattemalata  at  Padua,  executed  by  Donatello  a 
little  more  than  twenty  years  before,  being  the  first,  and 
which,  doubtless,  inspired  Colleoni  with  the  ambition  to 
be  thus  immortalized. 


200  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  statue  was  designed  by  "  Andrew  the  keen-eyed  " 
(Verocchio),  but  was  completed  by  Alessandro  Leopardi, 
whose  name  is  seen  on  the  horse's  girth.  The  story  goes 
that  Verocchio  came  to  Venice,  and  had  modelled  the 
horse  when  he  was  told  that  another  artist  was  to  execute 
the  rider.  In  his  indignation  at  this  he  broke  the  head 
and  legs  of  the  horse  into  fragments,  and  returned  to 
Florence.  The  Senate  sent  after  him  a  decree  prohibiting 
his  again  entering  Venice  under  pain  of  death.  To  this 
he  replied  that  he  would  surely  obey,  as  he  knew  that 
were  his  head  taken  off  no  power  in  Venice  could  replace 
it,  while  he  could  easily  replace  the  head  of  his  horse,  and 
doubtless  improve  it 

After  a  while  the  Venetians  realized  his  value  to  them, 
and  rescinded  the  edict,  at  the  same  time  asking  him  to 
return,  with  the  promise  that  he  should  be  undisturbed, 
and  should  have  his  pay  doubled.  Verocchio  was  thus 
pacified,  but  had  not  finished  his  horse  when  he  was 
attacked  by  a  fatal  illness,  and  in  his  will  begged  the 
Senate  to  permit  his  pupil  Lorenzo  di  Credi  to  complete 
the  work.  In  spite  of  this,  the  Venetian  Leopardi  received 
the  commission,  which  he  executed  so  well  as  to  be  after- 
wards called  Leopardi  del  Cavallo.  The  figure  of  the 
rider  of  this  wonderful  horse  sits  straight  in  the  saddle, 
with  its  head  turned  so  as  to  look  over  the  left  shoulder. 
The  face  shows  remarkable  determination,  and  the  deep- 
set  eyes  are  in  accord  with  this  expression.  It  is  clad  in 
armor,  with  a  helmet  on  the  head.  The  trappings  of  the 
horse  are  richly  ornamented,  and  the  mane  is  knotted. 
The  elegance  of  the  pedestal  adds  much  to  the  effect  of 
the  whole. 

Mrs.  Oliphant  may  well  say :  "  It  is  a  great  thing  for  a 
man  when  he  has  some  slave  of  genius  either  with  pen  or 
brush  or  plastic  clay  to  make  his  portrait.  Sforza  was  a 
much  greater  general  than  Colleoni,  but  had  no  Verocchio 


BARTOLOMMEO  COLLEOSI.  201 

to  model  him.  Indeed,  our  Bartolommeo  has  no  preten- 
sions to  stand  in  the  first  rank  of  the  mediaeval  condot- 
tieri."  And  as  I  have  tried  to  trace  his  story  I  have 
thought  that  had  he  not  given  so  generous  a  sum  of  money 
to  Venice,  and  had  she  not  made  this  statue,  we  should 
scarcely  have  heard  of  him.  Is  not  this  in  reality  a  monu- 
ment to  Verocchio  and  Leopard!  rather  than  to  Colleoni  ? 


CHAPTER  XL 

AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE. 

'"PHE  artist  has  gone  on  a  tramp  in  the  Alps,  and  now 
J-  begins  the  long  neglected  sight-seeing,  — a  pure 
delight  in  the  golden  October  days.  There  is  no  such 
haste  in  the  early  morning  as  in  the  summer  time,  and  it 
is  usually  ten  o'clock  when  I  have  read  my  papers,  written 
my  letters,  and  Anita  is  ready  to  go  with  me  with  her 
never-failing  luncheon-basket;  for  we  do  not  like  to  be 
bound  to  return  at  a  fixed  hour,  and  we  never  know  quite 
where  we  shall  be  when  we  are  hungry,  so  we  take  our 
collazione  with  us.  As  a  rule  we  are  home  again  at  four, 
just  in  good  time  for  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  rest  before  dinner. 
When  the  summer  is  over,  it  is  delightful  to  feel  that  the 
gondola  is  not  obligatory,  to  use  it  only  for  excursions  on 
the  lagoons,  for  views  on  the  Grand  Canal,  for  moonlit 
evenings,  and  when  one  is  indolent.  Venice  is  quite 
another  place  when  one  walks  and  makes  the  acquaintance 
of  the  curious,  characteristic  campi  and  calli,  as  well  as  of 
some  of  the  people.  One  of  the  most  charming  walks  is 
along  the  Riva  degli  Schiavoni,  ending  at  the  Arsenal, 
after  various  detours. 

Passing  through  the  Piazzetta,  we  turn  to  the  left  on 
the  Molo.  This  side  of  the  Ducal  Palace  is  beautiful  in 
spite  of  the  disproportion  in  the  height  of  the  lower  story ; 
this  is  caused  by  the  rising  of  the  sea-level,  which  is  said 
to  average  three  inches  in  a  century,  and  consequently  the 
pavement  must  be  raised;  if  this  is  correct,  the  columns 


Tbe  Bridge  of  Sighs. 


I 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  203 

of  the  palace  must  be  fifteen  inches  below  the  present 
pavement.  The  entire  loggie  on  this  side  of  the  palace 
are  the  work  of  the  Bon  family ;  the  designs  on  the  capi- 
tals of  the  columns  are  very  curious,  illustrating  mediaeval 
allegories  and  legends  which  symbolize  justice  and  good 
government.  The  windows  are  fine,  and  the  balcony  in 
the  centre  is  richly  ornamented ;  the  bas-reliefs  are  wrought 
with  great  delicacy  and  skill. 

From  the  Ponte  della  Paglia,  at  the  end  of*  the  Molo, 
we  have  the  best  possible  view  of  the  Bridge  of  Sighs, 
which  Howells  calls  a  "pathetic  swindle,"  and  not  with- 
out reason.  It  was  not  built  until  the  end  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  since  which  there  has  been  but  one  victim  of 
political  imprisonment.  But  there  it  hangs,  high  in  air, 
"  a  palace  and  a  prison  on  each  hand. "  Looking  up  from 
the  Paglia  it  is  most  effective,  although  vulgar  prisoners 
only  have  passed  over  it  to  their  death.  No  doomed 
Foscari  or  Carmagnola  ever  saw  it ;  and  perhaps  its  great- 
est interest  is  from  that  much-worn  line  of  Byron's,  "I 
stood  in  Venice  on  the  Bridge  of  Sighs." 

Passing  the  Paglia,  we  are  on  the  Riva  degli  Schiavoni, 
in  front  of  the  Carceri,  or  public  prison.  As  the  apart- 
ments of  the  Signori  di  Notte  (heads  of  police)  were  on 
this  side,  it  was  not  made  to  look  like  a  prison.  Below 
are  rustic  arches,  above  which  Doric  columns,  on  pedes- 
tals, support  a  fine  cornice  with  consoles  in  the  frieze. 
The  upper  rooms  are  now  used  for  convicts  and  the  win- 
dows are  grated.  One  can  but  wonder  how  it  would  seem 
to  be  there,  shut  off  from  the  world,  and  gaze  out  on  the 
beautiful  Church  of  San  Giorgio  Maggiore  and  the  lagoon 
beyond,  with  the  ever-changing  aspect  of  the  divinely 
colored  waters ;  to  watch  the  multitudes  of  steamers,  gon- 
dolas, and  other  boats  passing  and  re-passing;  to  listen 
to  the  sound  of  steps  and  voices  on  the  Riva,  and  to  all 
the  different  songs  and  cries  from  the  boats.  It  must  be 


204  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

maddening.  "Was  it  the  effect  of  the  restless  waves  that 
Saint  John  watched  from  Patmos,  in  his  exile,  that  made 
him  say,  "  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth ;  for 
the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away ;  and 
there  was  no  more  sea  "  ? 

Passing  another  bridge,  we  turn  into  a  curious  vaulted 
passage  at  the  left  which  leads  to  the  beautiful  Church  of 
San  Zaccaria ;  it  is  three  centuries  and  a  quarter  old,  and 
the  third  which  has  been  erected  on  this  spot.  Architects 
lavish  praises  on  it ;  Fergusson  says :  "  One  of  the  finest 
of  the  early  facades  of  Italy  is  that  of  San  Zaccaria  at 
Venice. " 

In  854  Pope  Benedict  III.  visited  Venice,  and  the 
Abbess  of  San  Zaccaria  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  his 
Holiness  the  gift  of  the  bodies  of  Santa  Sabina  and  San 
Pancrazio  and  other  sacred  relics.  After  these  treasures 
had  been  received,  the  Doge  Tradenigo  paid  a  visit  of 
devotion  to  this  favored  shrine,  and  the  abbess  presented 
to  him  the  splendid  Ducal  Beretta.  It  was  studded  with 
rare  gems,  having  in  the  centre  a  large  diamond  sur- 
rounded by  twenty-four  pear-shaped  pearls;  above  the 
diamond  was  a  ruby  of  dazzling  brilliancy,  and  in  the 
front  a  cross  was  woven  which  contained  twenty-three 
emeralds  and  other  precious  stones.  The  Doge  made  a 
solemn  promise  that  each  year  he,  and  his  successors 
after  him,  would  visit  San  Zaccaria  at  Easter,  in  solemn 
procession,  and  wearing  the  precious  Beretta. 

The  nuns  of  this  sisterhood  also  gave  a  part  of  their 
garden  to  enlarge  the  Piazza  of  San  Marco,  and  proved 
themselves  as  generous  and  public-spirited  as  they  were 
opulent. 

From  the  ninth  to  the  twelfth  century  the  Doges  were 
buried  in  San  Zaccaria;  and  the  same  Tradenigo  who 
received  the  Beretta  was  assassinated  in  front  of  the 
church,  where  the  column  now  stands.  Its  architecture 


AN  AUMUMN  RAMBLE.  205 

is  semi-Byzantine,  except  in  the  choir,  which  is  Gothic. 
The  pentagonal  tribune  is  beautiful,  with  its  circular 
arches  below  and  its  pointed  arches  above,  which  are 
exquisite  in  proportion  and  effect. 

Near  the  door  of  the  sacristy  is  the  monument  of  the 
"Michelangelo  of  Venice,"  Alessandro  Vittoria.  He 
began  this  funeral  monument  thirteen  years  before  he 
died !  The  bust  is  by  his  own  hand,  and  the  whole  work 
is  very  interesting. 

But  that  which  holds  us  longest  in  San  Zaccaria  is  the 
picture  of  the  Virgin  and  Child,  with  four  saints,  by  the 
adorable  Giovanni  Bellini.  It  is  not  one  of  his  best,  but 
it  is  a  glorious  picture.  In  1797  it  made  the  sad  and 
disgraceful  journey  to  Paris,  and  the  restorers  have  not 
improved  it ;  but  in  spite  of  all,  we  love  it,  and  before  we 
go  away  must  also  see  the  same  master's  small  picture  of 
the  Circumcision,  in  a  chapel  of  the  choir,  which  is  very 
much  admired. 

As  we  return  to  the  Eiva  and  pass  on  to  the  Ponte  del 
Sepolcro,  a  very  different  sort  of  interest  is  aroused  by  the 
sight  of  the  inscription  upon  the  house  which  now  replaces 
the  Casa  del  Petrarca.  The  Palazzo  delle  due  Torri  was 
given  to  the  poet  in  1362  by  the  Republic,  in  return  for  a 
portion  of  his  library.  This  frank  statement  of  a  per- 
fectly creditable  business  transaction  is  somewhat  of  a 
shock  to  those  who  have  thought  of  Petrarch  as  a  disin- 
terested benefactor  of  Venice.  But  we  must  remember 
that  he  was  now  nearly  threescore  years  of  age ;  he  had 
exhausted  the  romance  of  his  life  long  before;  he  had 
attempted  to  make  peace  between  the  Italian  powers  in 
vain ;  he  abominated  the  manner  in  which  wars  had  come 
to  be  made,  by  employing  the  mercenaries  who  brought 
with  them  pestilence  and  death;  and  he  longed  for  a 
peaceful  home  for  his  old  age  more  than  for  anything 
else. 


206  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

With  what  comfort  he  must  have  settled  himself  in  his 
luxurious  house  on  the  Riva;  how  differently  must  he 
have  felt  from  those  prisoners  in  the  Carceri,  of  whom  we 
have  spoken,  when  he  gazed  upon  the  broad  harbor  and 
heard  the  bustle  of  the  port !  That  it  all  appealed  to  him 
is  proved  by  the  following  extract  from  one  of  his  letters : 

"  See  the  innumerable  vessels  which  set  forth  from  the  Italian 
shore  in  the  desolate  winter,  in  the  most  variable  and  stormy 
spring,  one  turning  its  prow  to  the  east,  the  other  to  the  west; 
some  carrying  our  wine  to  foam  in  British  cups,  our  fruits  to 
flatter  the  palates  of  the  Scythians,  and,  still  more  hard  of  cre- 
dence, the  wood  of  our  forests  to  the  ^Egean  and  Achaian  isles ; 
some  to  Syria,  to  Armenia,  to  the  Arabs  and  Persians,  carrying 
oil  and  linen  and  saffron,  and  bringing  back  all  their  diverse 
goods  to  us.'7 

He  soon  gathered  around  him  a  choice  circle  of  friends ; 
Boccaccio  came  to  visit  him  and  remained  three  months. 
What  a  picture  is  presented  to  our  imagination  when 
Petrarch  reminds  the  great  story-teller  of  their  "  noctur- 
nal rambles  on  the  sea,  and  that  conversation  enlightened 
and  sincere  " !  He  urges  him  to  come  again  in  this  wise  : 
"  The  gentle  season  invites  to  where  no  other  cares  await 
you  but  those  pleasant  and  joyful  occupations  of  the 
Muses,  to  a  house  most  healthful,  which  I  do  not  describe 
because  you  know  it, "  It  is  not  thus  that  we  are  apt  to 
think  of  Laura's  lover,  or  of  the  author  of  the  Decameron ; 
but  in  Venice  they  seem  to  have  been  two  quiet  old  men 
seeking  peace  and  health. 

An  interesting  occasion  when  Petrarch  played  an 
important  part  was  that  of  the  great  tournament  which 
terminated  the  festivities  after  the  capture  of  Crete  in 
1364.  He  sat  beside  the  Doge  in  a  balcony  behind  the 
horses  of  St.  Mark.  The  balcony  was  as  splendid  as  the 
richest  awnings  and  hangings  could  make  it,  and  the  ducal 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  207 

robes  and  crown  were  in  strange  contrast  to  the  black  gown 
and  hood  of  the  Laureate.  Did  he  take  pleasure  in  the 
thought  that  his  fame  as  a  poet  would  be  known  to  future 
millions  who  would  not  be  able  to  call  the  name  of  a 
single  Venetian  among  the  thousands  who  were  there 
assembled  ?  Surely  it  was  a  pleasant  episode  in  Petrarch's 
life,  this  time  in  Venice;  but  it  was  all  too  short,  and 
ended  most  unhappily. 

After  four  years  on  the  Riva,  in  that  "house  most 
healthful, "  a  number  of  the  patrician  giovinastri  —  all 
infidels  and  much  puffed  up  with  their  little  learning  — 
after  discussing  their  philosophies  with  Petrarch  came  to 
the  grave  decision  that  he  was  "  a  good  but  ignorant  man" ! 
To  us  it  is  absurd  that  this  great  poet  should  have  given 
a  serious  thought  to  such  folly;  but  the  same  sort  of 
young  men  had  driven  Marino  Faliero  to  such  straits  that 
he  turned  traitor.  Petrarch  showed  his  pain  and  indigna- 
tion in  a  milder  way,  by  quitting  Venice  to  return  no 
more.  This  was  certainly  the  worse  for  Venice,  since  he 
imparted  to  the  Republic  the  only  poetical  association 
connected  with  its  palmy  days.  No  poet  with  a  name  to 
live  was  born  of  that  nation  of  wise  statesmen,  brave  sol- 
diers, cunning  merchants,  and  glorious  artists.  We  can 
but  wonder  if  it  would  have  comforted  him  to  know  that 
the  first  exquisite  book  from  the  Aldine  press  in  Venice, 
more  than  a  century  and  a  quarter  after  his  death,  would 
be  his  own  poems  and  printed  in  fac-simile  of  his  own 
handwriting ! 

Petrarch  retired  to  Arqu&  del  Monte,  a  quiet  little  town 
in  a  valley  of  the  Euganean  Hills,  where  he  lived  peace- 
fully, visited  by  his  friends  and  enjoying  the  many  proofs 
that  came  to  him  of  the  appreciation  which  the  scholars 
of  his  time  had  for  his  character  and  works.  In  1373, 
again  he  went  to  Venice  with  Francesco  Carrara  Novello, 
who  was  to  make  submission  as  the  proxy  of  his  father, 


208  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

after  the  treaty  at  the  termination  of  the  Carrarese  War. 
Again,  the  Laureate  addressed  the  Doge,  the  peers,  and 
senators,  as  the  Apostle  of  Peace ;  it  was  his  valedictory 
at  Venice.  In  July,  1374,  he  was  found  dead  in  his 
library  at  Arqua. 

"But  knock,  and  enter  in. 
This  was  his  chamber.    'T  is  as  when  he  went ; 
As  if  he  now  were  in  his  orchard-grove. 
And  this  his  closet.    Here  he  sat  and  read. 
This  was  his  chair ;  and  in  it,  unobserved, 
Reading,  or  thinking  of  his  absent  friends, 
He  passed  away  as  in  a  quiet  slumber." 

While  thinking  thus  of  the  happenings  on  this  very 
Kiva  five  centuries  agone,  we  pass  through  the  narrow 
calle  which  leads  to  the  campo  of  San  Giovanni  in 
Bragora.  The  pictures  in  this  church  are  very  interest- 
ing, and  the  font  by  Sansovino  is  beautiful ;  but  to-day  the 
Palazzo  Badoer  especially  appeals  to  me,  and  yet  one  must 
almost  regret  having  seen  it  since  the  restorers  —  Heaven 
save  the  mark!  —  have  spoiled  it.  If  the  ghosts  of  the 
seven  Badoer  Doges  ever  walk  this  way,  what  must  they 
think  of  the  squares  of  red  and  white  marble  in  which  it 
is  now  dressed  ? 

What  a  family  they  were,  descended  from  Tribunes  of 
the  Rialto  in  the  time  of  Theodoric  the  Goth;  and  to 
what  good  purpose  they  swayed  the  Ivory  Sceptre  during 
seventy-four  years.  It  was  Badoer  II.  who  erected  the 
first  chapel  in  the  Ducal  Palace  for  the  body  of  Saint 
Mark,  which  came  to  Venice  during  his  reign.  A  daugh- 
ter of  Badoer  IV.  was  an  abbess  of  San  Zaccaria,  and  many 
of  the  sons  of  these  Doges  entered  the  Church ;  but  theirs 
was  a  proud,  brave,  just,  and  patriotic  race,  better  suited 
to  governing  the  Republic  than  to  the  offices  of  Holy 
Church.  In  their  day  the  Doges  were  absolute  mon- 
archs,  and  the  Badoeri  gave  almost  constant  domestic 
tranquillity  to  Venice,  and  won  the  hearts  of  the  Venetians. 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  209 

And  now  we  are  in  the  broadest  street  of  Venice,  the 
Via  Garibaldi.  It  leads  to  the  Giardini  Pubblici,  which 
is  a  park  rather  than  a  garden,  and  was  made  by  Napoleon 
in  1807.  The  space  was  gained  by  the  destruction  of  four 
churches,  as  many  monasteries,  and  a  hundred  houses, 
none  of  which  are  now  missed.  It  is  a  pleasant  place  to 
take  luncheon,  with  a  lovely  panorama  before  us,  to  which 
the  boats  and  their  ever-fascinating  sails  give  life  and 
cheerfulness.  Beyond  the  canal  of  the  Giudecca  rises  the 
dome  of  the  Redentore ;  the  square  tower  of  the  Dogana 
and  the  cupolas  of  the  Salute  make  a  striking  effect 
against  the  cloudless  sky ;  well  round  to  the  right  we  see 
the  top  of  the  Campanile  behind  the  Ducal  Palace,  and 
before  us,  the  island  of  San  Giorgio  Maggiore,  with  its 
picturesque  church  and  fine  clock-tower,  seems  very  near. 

Undoubtedly,  all  this  is  best  at  sunset  with  the  golden 
west  for  a  background ;  indeed,  few  points  are  so  favorable 
for  watching  the  glorious  death  of  day,  especially  if  one 
lingers  while  the  fires  die  out  and  even  the  more  delicate 
tints  fade  away.  Then  a  mysterious  indistinctness  steals 
over  all  the  distant  objects,  but  now  so  clearly  cut  against 
the  flaming  sky.  There  was  a  reality  and  emphasis  about 
these  towers  and  spires,  the  canals,  and  all  the  moving 
objects  that  made  them  a  part  of  a  work-a-day,  practical 
world,  but  in  the  dusky  twilight  the  outlines  run  together; 
we  see  and  do  not  see  the  true  forms  of  the  various  parts 
of  Santa  Maria  della  Salute,  but  a  beautiful  whole  remains ; 
even  the  nearer  San  Giorgio  becomes  mysterious;  the 
smaller  features  disappear,  while  the  whole  is  profoundly 
impressive  and  grand,  seeming  to  clothe  itself  with  the 
night,  as  if  retiring  into  its  own  world  of  peaceful  and 
solemn  repose. 

But  at  whatever  hour  one  comes,  this  garden  seems 
deserted,  except  on  the  one  September  Monday  when  it  is 
the  custom  to  picnic  here.  To-day  we  leave  it  quite  empty, 

14 


210  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

and  walk  along  the  Riva  of  the  Rio  di  Sant'Anna,  making 
our  way  to  the  calle  larga  and  the  bridge  which  connects 
Venice  with  the  island  called  San  Pietro,  or  Olivolo,  or 
Quinta  Valle.  Early  in  the  history  of  Venice  this  island 
became  important;  and  the  first  large  church  of  the 
Republic,  built  here  among  the  olives,  was  made  the 
patriarchal  church,  and  so  continued  until  Napoleon 
bestowed  that  honor  on  San  Marco,  and  converted  the 
patriarchal  palace  of  San  Pietro  into  a  barrack.  After 
766  the  Bishop  of  Olivolo  was  an  important  man;  he  could 
not  have  been  very  wealthy,  since  his  income  depended 
on  the  mortuary  tax,  from  which  he  was  called  Vesscovo 
de1  Morti  (the  Bishop  of  the  Dead),  and  on  an  annual  poll- 
tax  of  three  hens  from  the  people  of  a  certain  district. 

One  evening  in  June,  836,  as  the  Doge  Badoer  III.  was 
leaving  San  Pietro  after  vespers,  unattended,  as  was  his 
custom,  he  was  seized  by  a  number  of  bravoes,  who  com- 
pelled him  to  submit  to  the  tonsure  and  then  hurried  him 
to  a  neighboring  convent,  where  he  was  securely  lodged. 
To  kidnap  a  Doge  of  Venice  was  a  most  high-handed 
and  extraordinary  proceeding,  and  it  is  gratifying  to 
know  that  his  enemy  who  caused  it  to  be  done,  was  not 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  he  had  created. 

It  was  also  at  San  Pietro  di  Castello,  as  the  church 
came  to  be  called,  that  the  "  Brides  of  Venice  "  were  wed. 
By  ancient  custom,  on  Saint  Mary's  Eve,  January  31, 
twelve  poor  virgins,  endowed  by  the  Republic,  came  here 
with  their  lovers,  parents,  kinsfolk,  and  friends;  the 
brides  were  dressed  in  white  with  their  hair  hanging 
loosely  about  the  shoulders,  and  each  one  with  her  dower 
in  a  little  box  suspended  by  a  ribbon  around  her  neck. 
Many  boats  dressed  with  flags  and  flowers  bore  the  happy 
company  over  the  canals  towards  Olivolo. 

The  Doge  and  the  chief  officers  of  State  assisted  at  the 
ceremony,  and  the  Bishop  preached  a  sermon  and  pro- 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  211 

nounced  a  blessing  on  all  these  fortunate  young  people, 
who  went  away  wedded  and  joyous.  But  in  939  a  most 
unhappy  interruption  occurred.  The  pirates  of  Trieste, 
who  knew  all  about  this  wholesale  wedding,  hid  them- 
selves near  by  until  all  the  assembly  had  entered  the 
church,  and  then,  rushing  in,  just  as  the  brides  were  to 
be  given  away,  they  seized  them,  even  at  the  foot  of  the 
altar,  and  before  the  Venetians  could  comprehend  the 
danger,  the  maidens  were  in  the  barks  of  the  pirates  and 
sailing  towards  Trieste! 

No  such  outrage  as  this  had  ever  been  perpetrated  in 
Venice,  and  the  Doge  Sanudo  II.  summoned  the  people 
to  arms  with  the  bell  of  the  Campanile.  The  trunk- 
makers  offered  their  boats,  which  were  near  at  hand,  and 
the  Doge  with  the  lovers  and  friends  of  the  brides  were 
soon  in  hot  pursuit,  and  erelong  hundreds  of  other  boats 
followed.  They  soon  overtook  the  Istrians,  and  killed 
almost  every  one  of  them  in  the  conflict  which  ensued. 
The  rescued  brides  were  taken  back  to  the  usual  festivi- 
ties of  the  evening,  which  were  greatly  enhanced  by  their 
gratitude  at  being  delivered  from  the  unusual  dangers 
that  had  threatened  them. 

After  this  episode  the  Festa  delle  Marie  was  established. 
Twelve  dolls  were  dressed  in  bridal  costume,  and  carried 
around  the  Piazza  in  procession ;  but  this  dumb  show  did 
not  satisfy  the  Venetians,  and  was  soon  replaced  by  a 
solemn  procession  of  twelve  virgins  attended  by  the  Doge 
and  the  clergy.  They  paid  a  visit  of  ceremony  to  the 
parish  of  Santa  Maria  Formosa,  where  the  trunk-makers 
who  originated  this  festa  welcomed  them  most  hospitably. 
Tradition  says  that  when  these  men  requested  the  Doge 
to  institute  this  Andata,  he  asked,  — 

"And  what  if  it  should  rain  ? " 

"  We  will  give  you  hats  for  your  head ;  and  if  you  are 
thirsty,  we  will  give  you  drink,"  answered  they. 


212  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Accordingly,  each  year,  the  Doge  received  two  bottles 
of  Malmsey,  two  oranges,  and  two  hats,  on  one  of  which 
was  his  own  coat-of-arms,  and  that  of  the  reigning  Pope 
on  the  other.  In  the  thirteenth  century  such  extrava- 
gance had  crept  into  this  ceremonial  that  the  brides  wore 
crowns  of  gold  adorned  with  precious  stones,  and  cloaks 
of  cloth  of  gold,  and  all  in  the  procession  were  treated  to 
wine  and  sweetmeats.  This  was  continued  until  1379, 
when  the  War  of  Chioggia  interrupted  all  Venetian 
merry-makings ;  and  on  account  of  its  cost,  and  a  certain 
license  of  conduct  which  had  been  indulged  in  its  cele- 
bration, the  Festa  delle  Marie  was  discontinued. 

Another  delightful  story  in  Bandello  relates  that  Elena 
was  secretly  married  to  Gerardo,  and  separated  from  him 
by  the  same  cruel  fate  that  presides  over  many  secret 
marriages,  and  on  the  eve  of  an  enforced  marriage  she 
fell  into  a  death-like  trance  and  was  laid  in  a  sarcophagus 
in  San  Pietro.  On  that  very  evening  a  more  propitious 
fate  brought  Gerardo  home  from  Syria.  When  he  learned 
of  Elena's  death,  he  rushed  to  the  church,  snatched  her 
from  the  tomb,  and  carried  her  off;  in  his  embrace  she 
again  found  life,  and  the  sorrowing  parents  gladly  forgave 
these  most  interesting  young  people. 

Having  all  these  associations  with  San  Pietro  in  mind, 
1  had  long  wished  to  go  there,  but  I  found  little  to  detain 
me.  The  Campanile  (1474)  is  stately  and  fine,  but  the 
church  (1594-1621)  is  not  interesting.  There  is  little  to 
notice  within.  Two  pictures  by  Marco  Basaiti  are  soft  and 
graceful,  as  are  all  his  works;  and  the  faces  of  the  saints 
seem  to  express  enjoyment  of  their  placid  melancholy. 
Near  one  of  the  altars  is  an  ancient  Arabian  seat  or 
throne,  said  to  have  been  used  by  Saint  Peter  at  Antioch. 
It  was  given  to  the  Doge  Pietro  Gradenigo  by  Michele 
Paleologo  in  1310.  The  curious  inscriptions  on  the  back 
are  thought  to  be  in  Arabic. 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  213 

Retracing  our  steps  to  the  Via  Garibaldi,  we  turn  into 
the  corte  nuova,  and  soon  stand  where  one  is  sure  to  be 
impressed  with  the  power  and  grandeur  of  Mediaeval 
Venice. 

The  first  Doge  of  the  Falieri  had  the  honor  to  found 
the  Arsenal,  than  which  nothing  couW  be  more  impor- 
tant in  that  "  City  of  the  Sea. "  There  is  a  fascination  in 
thinking  of  the  time  when  the  ringing  hammers  were 
swung  by  brawny  arms,  when  the  pitch  was  always  boil- 
ing, and  the  primitive  vessels  of  the  Middle  Ages  were 
built  with  a  miraculous  rapidity;  but  in  the  eight  centu- 
ries that  have  rolled  away  since  its  foundation  there  has 
never  been  a  time  when  the  Arsenal  of  Venice  was  not  of 
great  interest,  as  it  still  is. 

Formerly,  more  than  now,  it  seemed  to  be  the  ever- 
flowing  fountain  of  Venetian  greatness ;  for  no  matter  by 
what  enemy  the  Republic  was  threatened  or  attacked, 
no  matter  whether  the  danger  was  to  her  commerce  or  her 
territory,  it  was  to  the  Arsenal  she  turned  for  strength. 
To  repulse  her  own  enemies,  whether  they  were  Saracens 
from  the  East,  Genoese  from  the  West,  or  pirates  from 
all  quarters,  her  Arsenal  must  furnish  her  with  ships  and 
arms;  and  in  order  to  increase  her  wealth,  the  sea  must 
be  an  open  field  to  traffic  and  enterprise.  To  insure  this, 
her  ships  must  be  many  and  fine ;  and,  in  short,  but  for 
her  Arsenal  she  could  never  have  attained  or  preserved  her 
empire  of  the  waters. 

And  now,  although  the  workshops  are  not  teeming  with 
artisans,  and  the  forges  are  not  blazing  as  of  old,  it  is 
not  difficult  to  imagine  the  thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  men  who  here  forged  and  welded  the  real  strength 
of  the  beloved  Republic. 

The  Venetians,  among  modern  nations,  first  built  ships 
on  a  truly  great  scale.  Their  galleys  were  enormous  in 
power;  their  transport  ships  could  carry  a  thousand  men 


214  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

with  their  stores ;  their  galeasses  permitted  sixteen  hun- 
dred men  to  fight  on  board,  while  they  carried  fifty  pieces 
of  heavy  artillery,  and  had  their  prows  made  cannon 
proof.  Naturally  the  nations  with  whom  they  disputed 
the  sea  endeavored  to  build  ships  equal  to  those  of  Venice ; 
but  she  always  had  one  advantage,  in  that  even  the  small 
vessels  bore  at  least  fifteen  guns,  and  the  Venetian  gun- 
ners were  good  marksmen. 

Even  to  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century,  however,  the 
Arsenal  was  not  firmly  established,  and  vessels  were  built 
in  temporary  dockyards,  wherever  room  was  found.  But 
with  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth  century  the  Senate 
determined  on  making  the  Arsenal  so  fine  and  so  strong 
that  it  could  not  be  taken  by  an  enemy.  It  was  con- 
stantly guarded,  and  many  attempts  were  made  to  destroy 
it.  At  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  it  was  under  the 
care  of  a  special  magistracy,  and  sixteen  thousand  ship- 
builders and  thirty-six  thousand  seamen  were  employed 
in  Venice. 

The  three  magistrates  or  keepers  of  the  Arsenal  were 
appointed  for  a  term  of  thirty-two  months,  and  were 
obliged  to  inhabit  three  official  houses,  called  Paradiso, 
Purgatorio,  and  Inferno.  Each  keeper  was  on  duty  fifteen 
days  at  a  time,  during  which  he  slept  within  the  fortifica- 
tion, kept  the  key  in  his  room,  and  was  answerable  with 
his  head  for  the  safety  of  the  place.  But  one  passage  led 
out  of  the  Arsenal,  — that  to  the  iron  gate  which  opens  on 
the  small  campo.  With  the  exception  of  the  great  lions 
now  at  the  entrance,  —  brought  from  Greece  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  — the  exterior  has  changed  but  little  in 
three  centuries  and  a  half. 

Small  arms  and  artillery  were  made  here,  as  well  as 
ships;  and  in  each  department  the  superiority  of  the 
manufactures  resulted  from  the  skill  of  the  workmen  and 
the  quality  of  the  materials  used.  The  ship  timber,  after 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  215 

being  carefully  selected  and  brought  from  various  coun- 
tries, was  floated  near  the  Lido  for  ten  years  to  season  it. 
The  different  parts  of  the  vessels  were  cut  and  fitted  in 
the  workshops  with  such  exactness  that  they  could  be  put 
together  with  marvellous  rapidity.  It  is  said  that  when 
Henry  III.  of  France  visited  Venice,  a  galley  was  put 
together  and  launched  in  two  hours,  while  he  was  at  a 
banquet ;  and  during  the  famous  League,  before  the  battle 
of  Lepanto,  for  one  hundred  days  a  new  galley  left  the 
Arsenal  each  morning. 

In  truth,  the  Arsenal  was  a  town  by  itself,  —  a  town  of 
founderies,  forges,  magazines  of  arms,  and  munitions  of 
war,  timber-yards,  rope-walks,  model-rooms,  and  ware- 
houses; a  town  full  of  smoke,  toil,  and  uproar.  Dante 
had  been  here ;  and  when  he  wished  to  describe  a  lake  of 
pitch  in  which  corrupt  statesmen  are  immersed,  in  his 
Inferno,  he  thus  begins :  — 

"  In  the  Venetians'  arsenal  as  boils 
Through  wintry  months  tenacious  pitch,  to  smear 
Their  unsound  vessels ;  for  the  inclement  time 
Sea-faring  men  restrains,  and  in  that  while 
His  bark  one  builds  anew,  another  stops 
The  ribs  of  his  that  hath  made  many  a  voyage, 
One  hammers  at  the  prow,  one  at  the  poop, 
This  shapeth  oars,  that  other  cables  twirls, 
The  mizzen  one  repairs,  and  mainsail  rent." 

The  Arsenalotti,  as  the  workmen  were  called,  had 
their  own  organization  and  certain  privileges.  They  well 
merited  the  confidence  of  the  Republic,  which  they  called 
their  "  good  mother ; "  and  she  wisely  gave  them  pledges  of 
her  trust.  The  treasures  of  San  Marco,  the  Mint,  and  the 
Bank  were  guarded  by  them.  Whenever  the  Great  Coun- 
cil assembled,  the  Guard  of  Honor  before  the  Ducal 
Palace  was  elected  from  their  number.  Each  new  Doge 
was  attended  by  Arsenalotti,  when,  after  his  election,  he 
went  through  the  city  to  receive  the  congratulations  of 


216  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

the  people;  and,  above  all,  the  Bucentaur  was  in  their 
care  when  the  Marriage  with  the  Adriatic  was  celebrated. 

We  can  readily  understand  that  the  destruction  of  the 
Arsenal  was  the  first  aim  of  the  enemies  of  Venice.  It 
was  only  by  "  eternal  vigilance  "  that  it  was  preserved, 
and  the  severest  punishments  were  thought  too  mild  for 
those  who  attempted  its  ruin.  In  1428  a  man  suspected 
of  being  a  tool  of  the  Duke  of  Milan  and  of  intending  to 
barn  the  Arsenal  was  dragged  at  a  horse's  tail  and  then 
quartered  in  the  Piazzetta.  Certainly  a  man  who  would 
burn  the  Arsenal  was  not  needed  in  Venice,  and  we  are 
not  surprised  that  the  Council  of  Ten  were  of  this  opinion ; 
but  they  might  have  used  a  more  humane  method  in  his 
taking  off. 

For  example,  in  the  Museum  of  this  very  Arsenal  there 
are  many  instruments  of  torture  that  one  would  not  care 
to  have  used,  even  for  the  worst  criminal  imaginable; 
but  there  is  one  curious  little  death-dealer  that  claims  to 
give  its  victim  no  pain  whatever.  It  is  a  sort  of  key 
with  a  spring,  by  means  of  which  a  poisoned  needle  is 
shot  into  the  victim,  who  dies  without  discomfort  or  the 
loss  of  a  particle  of  blood. 

Going  home  from  the  Arsenal,  we  take  a  gondola ;  and 
as  we  glide  along,  we  recall  the  curious  tableaux  vivants 
which  we  have  seen  in  this  long  ramble.  All  about  the 
quarter  of  San  Zaccaria  we  saw  and  heard  the  bead- 
stringers,  as  busy  with  their  tongues  as  with  their  fingers. 
They  are  very  skilful,  and  in  their  bright-colored  hand- 
kerchiefs, with  here  and  there  a  flower  or  gay  comb  or 
pin  in  their  dark  hair, — they  know  exactly  how  and 
where  to  put  them  in  order  to  make  the  best  effect,  — 
they  are  picturesque,  and  some  of  them  very  handsome. 
They  hold  a  tray  of  beads  on  the  lap,  and  with  a  long 
needle,  which  carries  the  string,  they  dive  among  the 
beads  at  one  end  of  the  tray,  push  it  quickly  through  the 
whole  mass,  and  bring  it  up  and  out  at  the  other  end, 


AN  AUTUMN  RAMBLE.  217 

well  laden  with  the  fascinating,  many-tinted  little  globes. 
They  do  it  as  if  they  enjoyed  it,  and  meanwhile  they  talk 
with  each  other,  have  a  few  words  with  the  passers-by, 
and  amuse  and  scold  the  children  who  play  around  them. 

From  San  Pietro  one  sees,  on  the  opposite  side  the 
canal,  a  neighborhood  much  adorned  with  fishing-nets. 
They  are  spread  or  hung  everywhere  that  they  can  be 
made  to  stay  on,  and  at  a  distance  the  effect  is  curious 
and  picturesque.  Old  sails,  too,  are  being  dried  or 
mended,  while  new  ones  are  cut,  sewed,  or  painted.  This 
last  process  is  novel  and  interesting;  and  as  Giacomo 
needed  a  new  sail  for  the  sandolo,  we  saw  the  operation. 
The  colors  used  are  principally  red  and  orange,  and  more 
rarely  a  pale  green  and  a  heavy  sort  of  blue.  If  by  chance 
you  see  a  distant  sail  with  a  spot  of  sky  blue  on  it,  you 
will  find  on  nearer  acquaintance  that  you  were  looking  at 
the  real  sky  through  a  rent  in  the  sail.  The  colors  are 
made  by  mixing  a  kind  of  earth  with  water  and  adding 
the  coloring  matter;  and  these  colors  are  "set"  by  dip- 
ping the  sail,  when  finished,  in  the  sea,  and  drying  it  in 
the  sun,  repeating  this  several  times.  The  colors  are 
applied  with  a  sponge  instead  of  a  brush ;  and  when  one 
sees  in  how  rude  a  manner  the  painting  is  done,  it  seems 
a  wonder  that  the  results  are  so  effective.  The  artist  (?) 
simply  walks  around  the  edge  of  his  design  with  his 
sponge  full  of  color,  and  the  broad,  rough  outline  is  made. 
A  certain  slap  and  dash  puts  in  the  details,  and  the  back- 
ground is  laid  on  rapidly. 

Our  new  sail  had  a  red  heart  pierced  by  an  orange 
arrow,  on  a  blue  field,  and  the  outer  border  was  in  stripes 
of  dull  red  and  orange.  It  sounds  uncommonly  ugly  on 
paper,  but  Giacomo  and  Anita  were  very  proud  of  it ;  and 
after  it  was  soiled  and  faded  it  was  not  bad,  although  the 
plain  colors,  or  stripes  and  geometrical  designs,  are  pre- 
ferable, we  think,  —  but  we  are  not  Venetian  gondoliers 
or  fishermen. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

VENETIAN  WOMEN:  CATEBINA  CORNARO,  ROSALBA  CARRIERA. 

IN  the  history  of  Venice  women  play  a  very  unimportant 
part.  They  seem,  so  far  as  the  public  were  con- 
cerned, to  have  been  put  away  with  their  best  clothes, 
only  to  be  brought  out  on  such  occasions  as  were  suitable 
for  the  display  of  fine  attire  and  splendid  jewels.  If  they 
had  power,  it  was  certainly  behind  the  throne,  and  so  far 
behind  that  by  no  chance  was  it  ever  apparent. 

The  names  of  eight  women  who  devotedly  nursed  the 
Genoese  prisoners  after  the  battle  of  Porto  d'  Anzo,  have 
been  preserved.  There  is  a  tradition  about  a  very  beau- 
tiful and  learned  Pisani.  Now  and  then  an  abbess  is 
mentioned,  like  that  one  of  San  Zaccaria,  of  the  Morosini 
family,  who  presented  the  Beretta  to  the  Republic.  All 
we  know  of  Caterina  Cornaro  seems  to  depend  upon  the 
fact  that  the  Republic,  by  adopting  her  and  making  her 
Queen  of  Cyprus,  was  able  to  add  that  island  to  its  depend- 
encies. But  for  that  fact  we  should  probably  not  have 
heard  of  her;  and,  in  short,  of  what  Venetian  woman  do 
we  know,  of  whom  we  may  be  proud,  save  Rosalba  Car- 
riera  ?  and  she  was  born  after  Venice  was  far  on  the  way 
to  its  decline. 

The  historical  fact  that  such  a  magnificent  collection 
of  jewels  as  adorned  the  Beretta  existed  in  Venice  in  the 
middle  of  the  ninth  century  proves  that  its  Oriental  com- 
merce must  already  have  been  prosperous  and  extensive ; 
and  the  earliest  paintings  of  Venetian  life  represent  a 


VENETIAN  WOMEN.  219 

remarkable  splendor  of  costume  and  ornament.  We  know 
that  the  fifteenth  century  was  the  most  luxurious  period 
in  Venice;  but  its  wealth  and  splendor  were  gradually 
developing  during  five  centuries  at  least,  and  happily  the 
decline,  though  much  more  rapid  than  the  growth,  did 
not  rob  its  actual  life  of  aesthetic  interest  for  at  least 
a  century  and  a  half  after  its  well-recognized  beginning. 

We  turn  to  the  canvases  of  the  Bellini,  Titian, 
Giorgione,  Tintoretto,  and  Palma  Vecchio  to  see  what  the 
Venetian  ladies  were  like ;  but  we  must  remember,  alas ! 
that  many  of  these  were  not  the  honorable  wives  and 
mothers  of  the  men  who  made  the  strength  and  glory  of 
Venice.  Where  else  have  the  women  who  give  their 
beauty  and  their  lives  for  the  pleasures  of  men  been  so 
much  in  evidence,  so  tolerated,  and  so  luxurious  in  their 
living,  as  in  Venice  in  her  palmy  days  ?  They  were  not 
even  excluded  from  the  society  of  the  Dogaressa  herself 
on  the  occasions  of  balls  and  festivities  in  the  Ducal 
Palace. 

Their  houses  were  marvels  of  luxury ;  and  in  the  society 
that  gathered  about  them  the  best  wit,  the  most  brilliant 
conversation,  and  the  most  delightful  music  in  Venice 
were  enjoyed.  It  was  to  the  drawing-rooms  of  the  women 
to  whom  he  would  not  introduce  his  wife,  much  less  his 
daughter,  that  a  man  must  go  if  he  would  meet  the  best 
artists,  scholars,  and  thinkers  of  the  city.  It  was  there 
and  there  only  that  women  were  found  who  were  accom- 
plished in  music  and  poetry,  and  could  interest  superior 
men  by  their  superior  talk.  Was  the  conversation  of  the 
lightest  matters,  and  did  they  say  nothing,  they  said  it 
in  a  fascinating  way;  or  were  politics  and  the  more 
earnest  questions  of  life  discussed,  they  were  strong  in 
their  opinions,  discriminating  in  their  judgments,  and 
quite  as  bold  in  their  expression  of  them  as  the  Ten 
would  have  permitted  men  to  be.  Their  Ion-mots  were 


220  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

quoted,  their  goings  and  comings  were  noted,  and,  in 
short,  the  interest  of  all  Venetian  gayety  centred  about 
these  women. 

Quite  the  opposite  was  true  of  the  real  gentildonne. 
They  were  rarely  seen  except  on  great  public  occasions, 
when,  to  the  credit  of  the  husbands,  it  must  be  acknowl- 
edged that  they  were  careful  to  see  that  their  wives  were 
more  magnificently  attired  than  their  mistresses.  But  so 
rarely  were  they  seen  that  this  indulgence  could  well  be 
accorded  them  without  envy.  Yriarte  calculates  that  not 
more  than  sixty  or  seventy  of  the  seven  hundred  noble 
ladies  of  Venice  were  seen  daily.  Many  of  them  were 
not  in  society  more  than  two  or  three  times  in  a  year, 
and  then  on  the  most  formal  and  ceremonious  occasions. 

While  the  more  favored  ones  moved  all  about  the  city, 
clad  in  rich  silks  and  velvets,  the  patrician  wives  wore  a 
long  black  silk  cappa  ;  and  even  if  they  possessed  beauty, 
nothing  in  their  every-day  dress  added  to  its  effect.  They 
were  guarded  with  almost  Oriental  jealousy.  Why  not  ? 
If  a  man  cannot  believe  in  himself,  cannot  trust  himself, 
how  can  he  trust  another  ?  The  remark  of  the  councillor 
when  talking  of  the  pattens  that  the  ladies  wore  — 
sometimes  two  feet  in  height,  so  that  to  move  at  all  they 
must  lean  on  two  attendants  —  gives  the  key  to  the  whole 
theory  of  suspicion  and  lack  of  confidence. 

The  French  ambassador  spoke  of  the  pattens  as  most 
incommodious.  The  Doge  admitted  that  shoes  would  be 
more  comfortable  and  convenient;  but  the  councillor, 
shaking  his  head  with  a  cynical  expression,  remarked, 
"Yes,  far,  far  too  convenient."  God  help  the  women 
who  live  in  such  an  atmosphere! 

The  matrons,  however,  were  far  more  fortunate  than 
the  maidens,  whose  dress  was  symbolical  of  retired  life 
and  domestic  education.  The  home  was  all  their  world, 
and  they  knew  nothing  of  any  recreation  outside  the 


VENETIAN  WOMEN.  221 

family  circle.  Even  down  to  the  last  century  it  was  not 
allowable  to  introduce  gentlemen  to  the  unmarried  daugh- 
ters of  Venetian  nobles.  Their  dresses  were  most  simple, 
of  plain  white  or  black,  and  when  they  went  to  church, 
they  wore  ihefazzuolo,  a  long  white  veil.  On  other  occa- 
sions this  was  exchanged  for  a  silken  mantle,  very  thin 
and  gauzy,  through  which  they  could  see,  but  not  be 
seen. 

The  marriage  day  was  the  day  that  brought  freedom. 
For  the  first  time  the  maiden  was  introduced  to  society, 
and  it  was  intended  that  on  that  day  she  should  first  see 
the  bridegroom.  We  more  than  suspect  that  many  of  the 
faithful  and  trusted  nurses  permitted  the  fazzuolo  to  be 
thrown  aside  for  a  moment  when  they  well  knew  that  the 
lover  was  watching  in  concealment  for  a  glimpse  of  the 
face  of  his  future  wife;  and  sometimes  these  nurses  so 
sympathized  with  the  lover  as  to  grant  him  meetings,  all 
too  brief,  by  the  church  door  or  in  some  crooked  calle. 

With  the  innate  love  for  dress  and  gayety  entirely 
ungratified,  without  a  jewel  or  ornament,  save  a  simple 
cross  or  a  rose  from  the  garden,  why  should  the  Venetian 
maiden  not  dwell  with  longing  anticipation  on  the  thought 
of  her  wedding  day,  and  if  ever  she  talked  with  other 
girls,  of  what  else  could  they  speak  ?  But,  after  all, 
when  she  saw  the  life  of  her  mother  and  other  matrons, 
what  great  pleasure  did  marriage  offer  her  ?  Freedom  in 
a  sense,  —  servants,  a  gondola,  ropes  of  real  pearls,  the 
formal  court  balls,  and  other  ceremonies,  all  observed 
under  the  strictest  rules  of  etiquette.  To  us  there  does 
not  seem  to  be  much  brightness  in  the  life  of  noble  Vene- 
tian women,  married  or  single. 

The  preliminaries  of  a  marriage  having  been  duly 
arranged  by  the  parents  and  friends  on  either  side,  when 
the  day  arrived,  the  groom,  bearing  his  gifts,  went  to  the 
Ducal  Palace,  where  he  was  welcomed  by  his  own  friends 


222  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

and  some  of  the  friends  of  the  bride.  The  marriage  banns 
were  published,  and  all  present  shook  hands.  These 
friends  and  the  magistrates  who  were  engaged  in  the 
ceremony,  with  the  bridegroom,  all  went  that  evening  to 
the  home  of  the  bride,  where  they  were  welcomed  by  her 
relatives  and  friends.  And  now,  for  the  first  time,  the 
bride  appeared.  She  was  dressed  in  white,  and  still  wore 
her  veil,  which  at  the  proper  moment  was  unfastened, 
and  as  it  fell  disclosed  her  long  hair  falling  about  her 
shoulders,  and  the  marriage  formula  was  pronounced. 

The  bride,  followed  by  her  maidens,  with  a  rhythmic 
motion,  to  the  music  of  flutes  and  trumpets,  then  passed 
around  the  salons  and  welcomed  each  guest,  and  after- 
wards retired  to  her  own  apartments.  Whenever  new 
guests  arrived,  the  bride  and  her  maidens  repeated  the 
dance  of  welcome,  and  at  the  end  they  all  descended  the 
staircase  to  the  canal,  where  a  gondola  awaited  them. 
The  bride's  seat  was  richly  decorated,  and  raised  in  front 
of  the  cabin,  and  with  her  attendants  she  went  to  a  con- 
vent to  announce  her  marriage.  Here  other  relatives  and 
friends  were  waiting  to  congratulate  her. 

The  next  day  many  ladies  called  to  pay  their  compli- 
ments to  the  bride,  and  after  a  few  days  some  grand 
festivity  or  a  series  of  banquets  took  place,  as  was  the 
case  when  the  marriage  of  Jacopo  Foscari  was  celebrated. 
Five  or  six  hundred  guests  were  frequently  entertained, 
and  vast  sums  were  expended  in  decorations  of  the  house, 
in  choice  dishes  and  rare  wines,  until  at  last  these  lavish 
expenses  were  restricted  by  sumptuary  laws. 

About  1450  the  wealth  of  the  nobles  was  at  its  climax, 
and  such  extravagance  was  indulged  in  dress  and  enter- 
tainments that  in  1514  certain  Senators  demanded  a 
hearing  in  full  Senate  to  denounce  the  ruinous  manner  in 
which  money  was  spent  by  the  Venetian  ladies.  In  1474 
certain  stuffs  and  jewels  had  been  actually  prohibited  by 


VENETIAN  WOMEN.  223 

law,  and  pearls  were  most  severely  forbidden.  In  1514 
amber,  chased  silver,  agates,  ladies'  cloaks,  laces,  dia- 
mond buttons,  chains,  silk  capes,  lace  sleeves,  enamelled 
gold,  damasks  of  all  colors,  velvets  of  all  qualities, 
leathers,  embroideries,  fans,  gondolas,  with  their  rugs 
and  carpets,  and  sedan  chairs  lined  with  velvet  were  all 
put  under  regulations.  The  style  and  cost  of  entertain- 
ments were  limited.  The  expense  of  the  gold  and  silver 
plate,  the  cost  and  number  of  courses  served,  even  the 
sweetmeats  and  smallest  details  of  the  table,  were  legis- 
lated upon.  For  some  time  already  the  Dogaressa  had 
been  under  strict  orders  as  to  her  costumes  at  home  and 
abroad,  at  church,  on  ceremonial  occasions,  and  even  in 
the  privacy  of  her  own  apartment 

A  t  certain  times  these  rules  were  relaxed  by  necessity. 
How  could  plainly  dressed  women  support  the  background 
of  the  salons  of  the  Ducal  Palace  ?  When  there  they 
must  be  gorgeously  attired ;  and  knowing  that  these  oppor- 
tunities must  come,  the  ladies  of  Venice  bought  as  many 
pearls  and  other  jewels  and  as  splendid  garments  of  every 
sort  as  they  could  get,  and  waited  impatiently  for  a  festi- 
val when  they  might  wear  them.  In  1574,  when  Henry 
III.  visited  Venice,  an  edict  announced  that,  "  all  contrary 
decrees  notwithstanding,  it  shall  be  permitted  to  every 
lady  invited  to  the  said  feast  to  wear  all  dresses  and 
jewels  of  what  kind  soever  seems  to  them  most  favorable 
for  the  adornment  of  their  persons. " 

One  can  imagine  the  result.  How  gladly  these  ladies, 
so  long  restricted  to  plain  dressing,  would  vie  with  each 
other  in  the  beauty  and  richness  of  their  dress  in  these 
festal  days ;  and  from  the  pictures  and  the  written  accounts 
of  their  magnificent  costumes  we  know  with  what  success 
their  efforts  were  crowned.  Some  of  them  covered  their 
arms,  chests,  throats,  hair,  and  even  their  robes  with  pearls 
of  untold  value,  sometimes  costing  millions  of  ducats. 


224  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

For  a  long  time  the  custom  of  bleaching  the  hair  pre- 
vailed. A  large  hat-brim  with  no  crown  was  used.  The 
hair,  being  wet  with  some  preparation,  was  thrown  out  of 
the  crown  space  and  spread  over  the  broad  brim,  which 
shaded  the  person  from  the  sun.  Thus  prepared  they  sat 
on  their  balconies  and  housetops  as  long  as  a  ray  of  sun- 
shine could  be  had.  Titian  and  Veronese  painted  golden 
and  shining  hair  on  women,  goddesses,  and  nymphs 
because  no  other  color  of  hair  was  in  good  form.  Many 
of  the  fashions  in  dress  of  the  Venetian  ladies  of  the  time 
of  the  Renaissance  were  artistic  and  elegant ;  others  were 
too  grotesque  for  expression,  and  none  more  so  than  the 
pattens,  to  which  we  have  already  referred.  Not  being 
tall  and  stately,  they  wished  to  raise  themselves  artifi- 
cially; but  when  pattens  were  extreme  in  height,  all 
elegance  and  dignity  of  carriage  was  out  of  the  question. 

One  can  but  wonder  how  the  "potent,  grave,  and 
reverend  seigniors  "  of  the  Venetian  Senate  could  have 
found  time  to  attend  to  all  the  detail  of  the  dress,  and 
even  of  the  eating  of  the  Signori,  their  wives,  and  their 
guests;  but  it  is  plainly  to  be  seen  that  the  jealousy 
which  had  led  them  to  lessen  from  year  to  year  the 
power  and  dignity  of  the  Doge,  found  food  to  feed  upon 
in  the  privileges  and  honors  which  were  permitted  to  the 
Dogaressa. 

As  early  as  1084  the  extravagance  of  the  wife  of  Doge 
Selvo  was  much  written  of  by  the  chroniclers  of  the  time. 
It  was  said  that  this  Theodora,  the  daughter  of  a  Greek 
emperor,  had  her  cheeks  bathed  in  dew  every  morning  to 
give  them  a  glow  of  freshness.  This  would  not  seem  to 
have  been  an  expensive  habit.  Her  ablutions  were  made 
with  rose  water,  and  her  linen  was  scented  with  fine  bal- 
sams ;  and  so  many  aromatic  perfumes  pervaded  her  apart- 
ments that  it  was  not  unusual  for  her  maids  to  faint  while 
dressing  her.  She  always  wore  gloves,  and  fed  herself 


VENETIAN  WOMEN.  225 

with  a  double-pronged  gold  fork;  and  all  this  was  so 
sinful  in  the  eyes  of  the  Venetians  that  the  loathsome 
malady  from  which  she  died  was  regarded  as  a  legitimate 
punishment  of  her  vanity. 

We  have  elsewhere  spoken  of  the  custom  of  conducting 
the  wife  of  the  Doge  to  be  seated  on  the  throne  beside  him 
soon  after  his  own  investiture  with  the  insignia  of  his 
office ;  and  as  the  luxury  and  pageantry  of  Venetian  life 
increased,  naturally  the  first  lady  of  the  Republic  acquired 
more  importance  and  greater  privileges.  At  length,  in 
1595,  the  wife  of  the  Doge,  Marino  Grimani,  who  was 
herself  of  the  Morosini  family,  was  conducted  from  her 
home  to  San  Marco  in  a  style  that  aroused  all  the  jealousy 
of  the  Seigniory.  She  was  dressed  in  cloth  of  gold,  and 
wore  a  gold  crown.  The  Bucentaur  brought  her  to  the 
Piazza,  and  strains  of  martial  music  there  welcomed  her, 
as  well  as  salvos  of  artillery.  In  the  palace  she  occupied 
a  throne,  and  was  attended  by  noble  ladies  in  regal  state. 
The  festivities  in  which  she  played  a  prominent  part  were 
extended  unusually,  and  the  Pope  sent  her  the  golden 
rose,  which  is  presented  only  to  sovereign  princes. 

This  was  more  than  the  jealous  Senators  could  endure. 
It  was  also  noticed  that  this  ambitious  lady  wore  a  closed 
or  arched  crown,  —  a  privilege  denied  to  all  but  such  reign- 
ing princes  as  acknowledged  no  superior.  It  was  now 
thought  to  be  high  time  to  limit  the  state  and  assumption 
of  these  ladies ;  and  the  Senate  published  a  decree  order- 
ing the  golden  rose  to  be  taken  from  the  Dogaressa  and 
deposited  in  the  treasury  of  St.  Mark,  and  good  care  was 
afterwards  taken  that  no  other  Dogaressa  should  be 
crowned  at  all. 


15 


226  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 


This  beautiful  woman  was  born  on  St.  Catherine's  Day, 
in  1454,  in  one  of  the  distinguished  Venetian  families. 
Her  mother  was  the  granddaughter  of  the  Emperor  of 
Trebizond,  and  her  father  of  most  noble  descent. 

James  Lusignan,  whom,  as  king  of  Cyprus,  Caterina 
was  afterwards  to  wed,  had  been  driven  from  his  home 
by  the  intrigues  of  the  second  wife  of  his  father,  Elena 
Paleologus,  who,  in  order  that  her  daughter  might  come 
to  the  throne,  had  secured  James's  appointment  as  Arch- 
bishop of  Nicosia,  where  he  lived  a  gay  life,  little  suited 
to  the  office  he  held. 

Many  Venetian  merchants  frequented  Nicosia;  and 
there  Andrea  Cornaro,  uncle  of  Caterina,  became  the 
intimate  friend  of  the  youthful  archbishop.  Happily  for 
James,  Queen  Elena  died  before  his  father,  who  at  once 
recalled  his  son  to  his  side  with  the  intention  of  securing 
the  succession  to  him.  But  death  claimed  the  old  king 
before  the  proper  steps  had  been  taken ;  and  Charlotte,  the 
daughter  of  Elena,  was  proclaimed  queen.  James  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  was  about  to  leave  the  island, 
when  he  was  detained  and  confined  in  prison,  and  an 
attempt  made  to  poison  him. 

But  thanks  to  his  friends  and  the  Cypriotes,  who  pre- 
ferred a  king  to  a  queen,  he  escaped  and  reached  his 
bishopric,  fully  determined  to  dethrone  his  sister  if  pos- 
sible. Genoa  had  favored  Charlotte ;  and  Andrea  Cornaro 
was  confident  that  on  this  account,  if  for  no  other  reason, 
Venice  would  aid  James  to  gain  his  rights, — such  was 
the  enmity  between  the  two  republics.  Queen  Charlotte 
was  greatly  alarmed  by  the  escape  of  James.  She  knew 
not  what  to  fear  from  his  intrigues,  and  she  was  fully 
conscious  of  her  unpopularity  in  Cyprus.  She  was 


CATERINA  CORNARO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     227 

betrothed  to  Louis,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  who  had 
been  selected  by  Queen  Elena  on  account  of  the  feebleness 
of  his  character,  for  the  desire  to  rule  absolutely  was  so 
powerful  with  her  that  she  wished  for  no  energetic  son- 
in-law;  and  little  as  she  could  rely  on  him,  Charlotte 
begged  him  to  hasten  to  her  assistance.  Louis  passed 
through  Venice,  and  reached  Cyprus  before  James  had 
time  to  perfect  a  plan  of  action. 

At  Nicosia  James  felt  himself  to  be  in  danger,  and 
determined  to  fly ;  and  as  the  Sultan  was  the  titular  ruler 
of  Cyprus,  James  put  himself  under  his  superior  at 
Alexandria.  The  beauty  and  charming  manner  of  the 
young  king  of  Cyprus,  together  with  his  sex,  —  a  strong 
argument  in  his  favor  to  the  Oriental  mind,  —  so  influ- 
enced the  Sultan  that  in  the  midst  of  his  Mamelukes,  in 
the  great  hall  of  the  palace,  he  adopted  James  as  his  son, 
ordered  him  to  be  robed  and  crowned,  and  declared  him 
King  of  Cyprus.  It  has  been  said,  and  repeated  by  a  few 
chroniclers,  that  James  signed  a  recantation  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  and  thus  succeeded  in  his  plans.  Indeed,  a 
document  of  this  nature  was  sent  to  Pius  II.  ;  but  it  is 
believed  by  good  authorities  that  this  paper  was  a  forgery 
perpetrated  by  the  knights  of  Rhodes,  who  were  greatly  in 
favor  of  Queen  Charlotte. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  James  was  twenty-two  years  old 
when  the  Sultan  gave  him  ships  and  Mamelukes  with 
which  to  conquer  Cyprus.  Very  shortly  he  was  master  of 
the  kingdom.  Little  resistance  was  made,  and  that  was 
of  a  feeble  sort.  Louis  returned  to  his  father's  court ;  and 
Charlotte  went  first  to  Rhodes,  and  then  to  Rome,  to 
implore  the  aid  of  the  Pontiff  against  her  infidel  brother 
and  his  allies.  James  now  saw  that  his  enemies — the 
Genoese,  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  and  the  Pope  —  were  far  too 
powerful  for  him  to  struggle  against  them  without  aid, 
and  the  only  bribe  with  which  he  could  repay  an  ally  was 


228  THE   QUEEN  OF  TIIE  ADRIATIC. 

his  kingdom.  Marriage  was  his  one  means  of  salvation, 
and  Cyprus  was  a  dowry  that  could  not  fail  to  be  accept- 
able. Several  powers  hinted  at  their  readiness  to  form 
such  an  alliance  with  him;  but  Andrea  Cornaro  boldly 
asserted  that  Venice  only  could  maintain  his  power,  and 
proposed  his  niece,  Caterina,  as  his  wife. 

It  is  said  that  by  chance  James  had  seen  a  miniature  of 
Caterina,  and  had  fallen  in  love  with  the  sweet  girl  it 
represented;  but  the  uncle  skilfully  pretended  that  the 
original  of  the  picture  was  quite  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
king,  and  aroused  him  to  a  frenzy  of  passion.  Then  he 
told  the  truth,  — that  Caterina  was  his  niece,  and  could 
only  be  won  as  Queen  of  Cyprus.  At  once  James  sent  an 
embassy  to  demand  her  hand  in  marriage. 

The  Senate  accepted  in  the  name  of  Venice ;  and  that 
Caterina  might  be  the  equal  of  her  husband,  they  prom- 
ised a  dowry  of  a  hundred  thousand  ducats,  and  to  adopt 
her  as  a  daughter  of  the  Republic.  The  contract  was 
signed  by  the  Doge  and  by  the  ambassador  of  James,  in 
1468 ;  and  the  Hall  of  the  Great  Council  was  the  scene  of 
the  betrothal.  The  bride  was  conducted  from  the  Palazzo 
Cornaro  to  the  Ducal  Palace  by  forty  ladies  of  quality. 
She  was  received  by  the  Doge  and  Senate  and  other 
officials.  Mastachelli,  as  the  representative  of  his  mas- 
ter, placed  a  consecrated  ring  on  her  finger.  The  Doge 
gave  her  away  to  James  Lusignan,  and  then  with  royal 
ceremony  she  was  re-conducted  to  her  father's  house. 

Thus  far  all  was  well ;  but,  alas !  some  difficulties  arose 
in  the  negotiations  between  her  parent,  Venice,  and  her 
husband,  Cyprus.  Four  weary  years  rolled  on,  and  still 
Caterina  remained  in  Venice.  She  was  treated  as  a 
queen,  but  she  must  many  times  have  doubted  if  this 
pretence  would  become  a  reality. 

Ferdinand  of  Naples  was  using  every  means  in  his 
power  to  persuade  James  to  refuse  Caterina  and  marry 


CATERINA  CORNARO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     229 

his  daughter.  James  quarrelled  with  Andrea  Cornaro; 
and  finally  Venice  sent  an  ambassador  to  Cyprus  to 
declare  plainly  that  a  rupture  of  the  marriage  contract 
would  be  revenged  by  the  guardian  of  the  queen,  but  that 
its  fulfilment  would  assure  the  protection  of  Cyprus  by 
the  Republic.  In  1471  James  sent  his  representatives  to 
bring  Caterina  to  him. 

A  most  impressive  ceremony  now  took  place  in  San 
Marco,  where,  before  the  high  altar,  she  was  made  a  child 
of  Venice.  No  longer  was  she  a  Cornaro,  but  Caterina 
Veneta  Lusignan.  The  whole  city  rejoiced  greatly ;  and 
one  chronicler  says :  "  It  seemed  to  each  and  all  that  the 
Seigniory  had  won  a  kingdom,  as  by  God's  good  grace  did 
actually  happen." 

Early  in  1472  the  Bucentaur  lay  before  the  Palazzo 
Cornaro,  in  waiting  for  the  Queen  of  Jerusalem,  Cyprus, 
and  Armenia.  In  cloth  of  gold,  and  all  regal  attire,  she 
stood  in  the  doorway  of  her  father's  house.  The  Doge 
himself  led  her  into  the  galley,  and  seated  himself  at  her 
side.  Slowly  and  majestically  the  splendid  barge  moved 
through  the  Grand  Canal,  followed  by  the  prayers  and 
good  wishes  of  thousands  of  her  countrymen,  and,  it  can- 
not be  doubted,  by  the  envy  of  many  of  her  own  sex.  At 
the  Lido  the  admiral  of  the  Cypriote  fleet  waited  with 
his  ships  to  take  his  young  and  beautiful  queen  to  his 
sovereign. 

She  was  now  eighteen  years  old ;  and  Titian's  portrait 
of  her  shows  a  slight,  graceful,  beautiful  girl  with  a 
happy  face.  Her  robe  is  of  purple  velvet.  She  wears  a 
crown  and  veil,  and  holds  a  flower  in  her  hand.  Why 
should  she  not  have  been  happy  ?  Fortunately  she  had  no 
prophetic  vision.  She  was  protected  as  few  young  queens 
had  ever  been,  being  the  daughter  of  Venice.  The  splen- 
dor and  pomp  which  had  replaced  the  dead  level  of 
monotony  in  her  home  must  have  been  intoxicating  to 


230  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

her.  She  had  listened  with  joy  and  pride  to  the  accounts 
of  her  husband's  bravery  and  beauty.  She  knew  that  he 
had  preferred  her  before  others,  and  she  did  not  pay  her- 
self so  poor  a  compliment  as  to  doubt  her  ability  to  retain 
and  strengthen  his  love.  How  beautiful  her  dreams  as 
she  sailed  to  Cyprus !  and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that 
they  were  realized  for  one  brief  year.  And  then  James 
died,  leaving  Caterina  about  to  be  a  mother,  with  enemies 
on  every  hand. 

By  his  will  James  bequeathed  the  kingdom  to  her  and 
to  her  child.  Her  advisers  were  named  by  him,  and  her 
uncle  was  of  the  number ;  but  there  were  six  others,  little 
likely  to  favor  her,  since  that  meant  to  favor  Venice,  of 
which  the  Cypriotes  were  jealous.  Again  Ferdinand  of 
Naples  aspired  to  the  throne,  and  Caterina  was  by  no 
means  ignorant  that  her  parent,  the  Republic,  would  not 
hesitate  to  take  her  kingdom  from  her ;  but  just  at  that  time 
the  Turk  was  demanding  the  attention  of  the  Seigniory, 
and  while  Venice  was  not  ready  to  occupy  Cyprus,  no 
other  power  would  be  permitted  to  molest  the  young 
queen.  Meantime  Charlotte  was  enforcing  her  claim  to 
the  throne,  but  had  no  support  powerful  enough  to  con- 
tend with  the  Venetians. 

Things  were  in  this  condition  when  Caterina  gave  birth 
to  a  son,  in  August,  1473.  The  Admiral,  Mocenigo,  and 
two  provveditori  of  the  fleet  stood  sponsors  at  the  baptism 
of  this  grandson  of  Venice ;  and  by  the  will  of  his  father 
his  birth  should  have  settled  the  succession,  and  brought 
peace  to  Cyprus.  But  Ferdinand  had  laid  deep  plots,  and 
had  induced  the  Archbishop  of  Nicosia  to  act  as  his  tool ; 
and  no  sooner  had  the  Venetian  fleet  left  Cyprus  than  a 
revolt  occurred,  and  the  city  of  Famagosta,  where  Caterina 
was  lying  ill,  was  seized  by  the  archbishop,  and  three  of 
the  commissioners,  who  had  been  named  by  James  in  his 
will  as  the  protectors  of  his  wife. 


CATERIXA  CORNARO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     231 

There  was  a  terrible  scene  in  the  chamber  of  the  queen, 
whither  her  physician  had  fled  for  safety.  He  was  pur- 
sued, and  absolutely  slain  in  Caterina's  arms.  Her 
uncle,  who  had  done  so  much  for  her,  and  her  cousin, 
Marco  Bembo,  were  killed,  and  their  bodies  thrown  into 
the  castle  moat,  within  sight  of  the  windows  of  Caterina's 
chamber ;  and  so  terrified  was  she  that  she  dared  not  have 
them  removed  until  they  had  been  half  devoured  by  dogs. 
The  baby  James  was  taken  away,  and  Caterina  was  held 
a  close  prisoner.  Alfonso  of  Naples  had  been  married  to 
Zarla,  an  illegitimate  daughter  of  James  Lusignan,  and 
had  been  proclaimed  King  of  Cyprus.  A  letter  was  sent 
to  the  Venetian  Senate  attributing  the  murder  of  Cornaro 
and  Bembo  to  a  private  quarrel  with  soldiers  whom  they 
had  not  paid ;  but  the  Venetian  consul  sent  a  true  state- 
ment of  all  that  had  been  done  to  the  Seigniory,  and 
Mocenigo  was  at  once  despatched  to  Cyprus  with  orders 
to  secure  the  safety  of  Caterina  and  her  child  at  any  cost. 

Mocenigo  had  already  been  alarmed,  and  before  receiv- 
ing these  orders  had  sent  his  provveditor,  Soranzo,  to  do 
what  he  could,  promising  to  follow  speedily.  Soranzo 
found  the  conspirators  quarrelling  with  each  other,  while 
the  Cypriotes  of  Nicosia  and  Famagosta  were  in  revolt, 
and  demanding  the  liberation  of  the  queen.  When 
Mocenigo  arrived,  the  chief  conspirators  fled.  He  took 
possession  of  the  forts  in  the  name  of  Venice,  and  left 
them  in  the  keeping  of  men  devoted  to  the  Republic. 
Many  of  the  revolutionists  were  executed,  and  everything 
possible  was  done  to  impress  upon  the  inhabitants  the 
fact  that  Caterina  and  her  kingdom  would  be  protected 
by  the  strong  arm  of  Venice,  against  which  Cyprus  was 
powerless  in  its  present  unsettled  condition. 

Caterina  presented  to  Mocenigo  a  golden  shield  embla- 
zoned with  the  arms  of  Lusignan.  Apparent  quiet 
reigned,  and  the  admiral  sailed  away.  Venice  had  now 


232  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

obtained  a  right  to  a  share  in  the  government  of  Cyprus, 
which  she  carefully  followed  up  by  appointing  a  prov- 
veditor  and  two  councillors  to  reside  permanently  at 
Cyprus  to  aid  the  queen  in  her  government. 

A  few  months  of  comparative  peace  came  at  last  to  the 
young  mother,  and  we  can  picture  her  joy  at  the  restora- 
tion of  her  baby  and  her  delight  in  watching  his  budding 
affection  for  her.  But  it  would  seem  that  evil  fortune 
had  selected  Caterina  for  its  victim,  and  that  she  was 
fated  to  drain  the  cup  of  sorrow  and  bitterness.  When  a 
year  old,  the  little  James  died.  The  queen  wrote  to  the 
Senate  of  her  sorrow ;  and  her  father,  Marco  Cornaro,  was 
sent  out  to  comfort  his  daughter,  and  bear  to  her  the  sym- 
pathy and  condolences  of  the  Republic.  He  was  also 
empowered  to  act  with  Soranzo,  as  the  agent  of  Venice, 
should  any  fresh  revolution  occur. 

Charlotte  Lusignan  was  a  determined  woman,  full  of 
resources,  brave  to  a  fault,  and  as  ambitious  as  brave. 
When  the  infant  king  died,  Charlotte  was  at  the  court  of 
the  Sultan.  Many  nobles  of  Cyprus  declared  themselves 
in  her  favor,  she  being  the  last  true  Lusignan.  Caterina 
had  allowed  the  annual  tribute  to  the  Sultan  to  fall  into 
arrears.  This  Charlotte  promised  to  pay  if  the  Sultan 
would  help  to  establish  her  as  Queen  of  Cyprus.  But  by 
the  advice  and  aid  of  Venice  Caterina  paid  the  full  tribute, 
and  explained  that  her  tardiness  had  been  due  to  the 
ravages  of  the  locusts.  By  reason  of  this  and  other  diplo- 
matic acts,  all  arranged  at  Venice,  the  Sultan  preferred 
Caterina  to  Charlotte,  and  the  latter  was  dismissed  from 
his  court.  She  then  turned  to  Milan,  Genoa,  Savoy,  and 
Rome  for  assistance ;  and  a  plan  for  a  descent  on  Cyprus 
was  far  advanced  when  a  letter  of  Charlotte's  was  inter- 
cepted and  sent  to  Venice. 

The  Republic  immediately  ordered  their  admiral, 
Antonio  Loredano,  to  garrison  Cyprus  completely;  to 


CATERINA  CORNAEO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     233 

arrest  Maria  Patras,  the  mother  of  the  late  king,  and 
three  illegitimate  children  of  the  same  sovereign,  and 
send  them  to  Venice.  One  of  these  was  that  Zarla  whose 
marriage  with  Alfonso  had  not  been  completed.  By  this 
means  Venice  held  in  her  hand  all  possible  claimants  to 
the  throne  of  Cyprus,  save  Charlotte.  But  Alfonso  would 
not  abandon  his  betrothed  wife,  and  with  his  father's 
assistance  he  very  nearly  succeeded  in  carrying  her  away 
from  Venice,  whereupon  she  was  sent  to  Padua,  where 
she  soon  after  died  from  the  plague,  as  it  was  said. 
Ferdinand  was  still  determined  to  acquire  Cyprus,  and  in 
spite  of  all  discouragements  sent  Alfonso  to  the  court  of 
the  Sultan  to  claim  the  crown  of  the  much  disputed 
island.  Again  Caterina  paid  her  tribute,  but  demanded 
in  return  a  formal  deed  of  investiture.  This  was  sent 
her,  and  Alfonso  relinquished  his  pursuit  of  a  kingdom, 
and  was  more  than  content  with  the  pleasures  of  life  in 
Alexandria. 

Caterina  seemed  now  to  be  free  from  all  her  rivals ;  but 
she  owed  everything  to  Venice,  and  her  adopted  parent 
did  not  forget  to  watch  over  her  constantly.  Her  income 
was  limited,  and  so  carefully  was  she  guarded  that  the 
Doge  himself  wrote  that  she  ought  to  move  about  more 
freely,  and  ordered  that  her  table  should  be  generously 
provided.  But  this  sort  of  care  was  necessary  to  keep  her 
alive  until  the  Republic  was  ready  to  assume  full  posses- 
sion of  Cyprus,  and  even  now  she  had  but  a  semblance 
of  peace.  Speaking  of  this  time  in  her  life,  Brown 
says : — 

"The  citizens,  the  people  of  Cerines,  Famagosta,  Nicosia, 
were  faithful  to  her;  they  loved  their  queen.  But  all  through 
the  island  the  great  nobles  were  her  enemies,  and  drew  with 
them  their  peasants.  They  were  profoundly  jealous  of  Venetian 
rule ;  they  saw  the  weakness  of  the  queen ;  some  of  them  coveted 
the  throne  for  themselves.  Caterina  was  compelled  to  live  in 


234  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

constant  dread  of  revolution,  murder,  or  dethronement,  shut 
within  the  walls  of  one  or  other  of  her  faithful  towns.  Con- 
spiracy after  conspiracy  was  discovered,  —  some  directed  against 
her  life,  others  against  her  liberty.  At  each  new  outbreak 
she  could  see  the  frown  gathering  upon  her  parent's  brow. 
The  dread  of  Venice  was  always  before  her  eyes.  Yet  she  was 
absolutely  helpless;  never  was  queen  more  so,  caught  between 
rebellious  subjects  whom  she  could  not  rule,  and  a  cold, 
uncompromising  guardian  who  desired  her  kingdom." 

For  ten  years  this  life  went  on;  Venice  constantly 
sending  officials,  whom  the  Cypriotes  hated  and  regarded 
as  spies.  Caterina's  personal  dangers  were  increased  with 
each  new  move  on  the  part  of  Venice,  and  in  no  account 
that  I  can  find  is  there  mention  of  any  friendly  woman 
who  was  beside  her  to  lighten  her  burdens  or  cheer  these 
sad,  disastrous  years.  At  length  the  time  arrived  when 
Venice,  having  freed  itself  from  more  pressing  engage- 
ments, only  awaited  a  pretext  to  assume  full  authority 
over  Cyprus ;  and  this  pretext  was  given  by  the  last  man 
in  the  world  who  would  willingly  have  aided  the  Repub- 
lic, —  Alfonso  of  Naples. 

In  1488  Alfonso  encountered  an  old  conspirator,  Marin 
Rizzo,  who  persuaded  Alfonso  to  sue  for  the  hand  of 
Caterina,  and  obtaining  that  to  rely  on  his  father  to  seat 
him  on  the  throne.  Rizzo  sailed  for  Cyprus  in  a  French 
boat,  taking  with  him  Tristan  Giblet,  whose  sister  was 
a  maid  of  Caterina.  These  two  landed  at  Fountain 
Amorous,  and  ordered  the  captain  of  their  boat  to  cruise 
off  the  coast  until  he  should  see  a  fire-signal  on  the  head- 
land at  night.  But  when  Rizzo  thought  to  outwit  the 
Venetians,  he  made  a  grave  mistake.  His  whole  plan  was 
known  to  the  admiral,  Priuli,  who  seized  the  French  cap- 
tain, manned  the  galley  with  his  own  men,  answered  the 
signal,  took  Rizzo  and  Giblet  on  board,  and  sent  them  to 
Venice.  Giblet  poisoned  himself,  and  Rizzo  was  kept  a 


CATERINA  CORNARO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     235 

prisoner  for  a  time  because  he  claimed  to  be  an  agent  of 
the  Sultan ;  but  at  last  he  was  strangled  by  order  of  the 
Ten. 

Venice  now  instructed  Priuli  to  bring  Caterina  to  her 
old  home,  —  willingly,  if  possible,  but  unwillingly  if  he 
must.  "We  fully  authorize  you  to  bow  her  to  our  will, 
with  or  without  her  consent. "  So  ran  his  order,  but  he 
was  also  recommended  to  be  gentle  as  well  as  firm.  The 
queen's  brother,  Giorgio  Cornaro,  was  sent  with  Priuli  to 
assist  in  persuading  Caterina  to  resign;  and  however  her 
resignation  might  be  obtained,  Priuli  was  instructed  to 
declare  everywhere  that  she  left  Cyprus  of  her  own  choice. 
Theirs  was  no  easy  task.  Caterina  clung  to  her  make- 
believe  royalty,  and  answered  every  argument  with  the 
question,  "Is  it  not  enough  that  Venice  shall  inherit 
when  I  am  gone  ?  "  But  no  entreaties,  arguments,  or 
tears  availed;  and  at  last,  worn  out  by  contention,  she 
yielded.  She  was  promised  a  queenly  reception  at 
Venice,  a  large  income,  and  the  state  of  a  royal  person- 
age during  her  life.  Again  we  quote  from  Brown :  — 

"In  the  piazza,  of  Famagosta  and  of  Nicosia  solemn  Te 
Deums  were  sung,  and  the  banner  of  St.  Mark  was  blessed  and 
unfurled,  while  the  queen  looked  on  from  a  baldachiuo.  She  saw 
her  cities  taken  from  her  one  by  one,  the  cities  that  had  always 
been  her  own.  No  point  in  all  the  long  ceremony  of  unrobing 
was  spared  her ;  in  every  town  and  village  the  same  cruel  pageant 
was  performed.  She  entered  each  one  as  a  queen  and  left  it 
discrowned.  Venice  was  determined  that  all  the  world  should 
see  how  willing  had  been  her  abdication.  But  the  people  nocked 
about  her  on  her  mournful  progress  with  tears  and  blessings,  — 
tears  for  their  liberty  lost  with  their  queen.  At  last,  early  in 
1489,  it  was  finished.  Caterina  and  her  brother  sailed  for 
Venice,  and  Cyprus  became  a  part  of  the  Venetian  kingdom." 

It  was  on  a  lovely  day  in  early  June  when  Caterina 
reached  the  Lido,  and  landed  under  a  gold  and  crimson 


236  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

awning,  whence  she  was  conducted  to  San  Niccolo  to  await 
the  ceremonies  of  the  next  day.  The  Doge,  with  a  train 
of  noble  ladies,  came  to  conduct  her  in  state  to  the  then 
Palazzo  Ferrara  (later  Fondaco  dei  Turchi,  and  now  Muni- 
cipal Museum),  a  residence  which  the  city  had  prepared 
for  its  daughter.  As  the  Bucentaur,  bearing  his  Serenity 
and  the  ladies,  neared  the  Lido,  a  great  wind  became  so 
alarming  that  the  queen's  embarking  was  delayed.  At 
length,  the  sea  having  subsided,  Caterina  was  brought  on 
board  in  the  costume  which  Bellini  painted  in  "The 
Miracle  of  the  Cross,"  where  she  kneels,  dressed  in  black 
velvet,  with  a  veil  and  jewels  in  the  fashion  of  Cyprus. 
The  Bucentaur,  with  a  procession  of  boats  following,  moved 
up  the  Grand  Canal.  When  opposite  the  Cornaro  Palace, 
the  Doge  knighted  Giorgio  Cornaro,  in  recognition  of  his 
services  in  persuading  Caterina  to  resign  her  crown. 

The  three  days  following  were  devoted  to  banquets  and 
ceremonials  in  the  Palazzo  Ferrara,  when  all  possible 
honor  was  showered  on  Caterina,  and  her  pride  and  vanity 
satisfied  to  the  full.  But  one  more  sacrifice  was  needed 
to  content  her  tender  parent,  Venice.  In  San  Marco, 
before  the  same  altar  where  nineteen  years  earlier  she 
had  been  made  the  child  of  the  Republic,  she  was  obliged 
to  go  through  a  long  and  solemn  office  of  abdication.  She 
was  then  given  the  castle  of  Asolo  for  life ;  and  until  it 
could  be  made  ready  to  receive  her  she  was  lodged  in  the 
palace  on  the  Grand  Canal,  which  was  afterwards  called 
the  Palazzo  Corner  della  Regina,  in  her  honor.  It  is  now 
the  MontS  di  Pieta. 

It  was  at  the  most  favored  season  when  Caterina  made 
the  journey  to  Asolo.  She  was  met  by  olive-crowned 
peasants,  who  came  to  welcome  their  lady,  bearing  gar- 
lands and  flowers  in  their  hands.  They  held  a  gorgeous 
canopy  above  her,  as  they  led  her  to  the  Piazza,  where  an 
orator  showered  compliments,  apostrophies,  and  hyperbole 
upon  her  in  this  fashion :  — 


CATERINA  CORNARO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     237 

"Oh,  happy  land  of  Asolo!  and  oh,  most  happy  flock 
that  now  hast  found  so  just  and  sweet  a  shepherdess ! 
Oh,  ship  thrice  fortunate,  whose  tiller  lies  in  such  a  skil- 
ful hand !  Ye  then,  ye  laurel  boughs,  the  victor's  meed, 
endure  the  sharp  tooth  of  our  knife  that  carves  on  you  the 
name  of  Caterina.  Sing,  birds,  unwonted  strains  to 
grace  the  name,  the  glorious  name,  Cornelia ! " 

One  can  scarcely  imagine  a  more  charming  spot  than 
the  site  of  the  castle  of  Asolo.  Encircled  by  the  Alps, 
the  plains  of  the  Brenta  and  the  Piave  spread  out  before 
it.  The  group  of  Euganean  Hills  rises  proudly  in  the 
distance.  Under  a  clear  moon  the  silver  threads  of  the 
rivers  may  be  followed  to  the  sea ;  and  in  the  rich,  distant, 
level  country  Vicenza  and  Padua  lift  their  towers,  while 
far  away  to  the  sun-rising  lies  Venice,  its  many  spires 
clear  cut  against  the  blue  sky  and  the  blue  Adriatic ;  and 
to  the  north  the  snow-capped  Rhoetian  Alps  stand  forth  as 
if  to  guard  all  the  land  they  overlook. 

In  contrast  to  all  this  expanse  and  grandeur  is  the 
little  town  of  Asolo,  just  beneath  the  castle  at  the  foot 
of  the  hill  on  which  it  stands.  It  is  a  walled  town,  with 
genuine  mediaeval  turrets  and  some  quaint  house-facades, 
and  in  Caterina's  day  was  inhabited  by  a  people  glad  to  be 
protected  with  gentleness  and  ruled  by  one  who  cared  for 
their  gratitude  and  love.  To  them  Caterina  gave  good 
laws.  She  brought  grain  from  Cyprus,  and  gave  it  to 
them.  She  appointed  a  judge  to  hear  their  causes,  and 
established  a  pawnbroker's  bank  for  those  who  needed  it. 
Her  little  court  included  but  twelve  maids  of  honor.  She 
had  eighty  serving-men  besides  her  dwarf  jester,  and 
a  favorite  negress  who  cared  for  her  parrots.  She  had 
her  hounds,  apes,  and  peacocks,  and,  we  are  glad  to  know, 
she  had  a  generous  income. 

Here  she  lived  during  twenty  years,  and  we  doubt  not 
that  her  title  of  Lady  of  Asolo  came  to  be  very  sweet  to 


238  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

her.  Certainly  she  bore  it  with  more  peace  than  ever  she 
had  known  as  a  queen.  Here  the  outside  pleasures  were 
rambles  in  gardens  and  woods,  the  harvest  festa,  and  the 
May  Day  gayety  with  her  people ;  and  within  her  castle 
she  had  the  lutes  and  songs  at  eventide,  and  at  all  hours 
the  never-ending  speculations  on  platonic  love  and  other 
sleep-begetting  subjects. 

Pietro  Bembo,  when  twenty-eight  years  old,  as  full  of 
life  and  keen  of  intellect  as  handsome  in  person,  came 
one  fine  September  day  to  Asolo.  He  had  been  at  the 
court  of  Lucrezia  Borgia,  at  Ferrara.  Imagine  the  con- 
trast between  these  two  beautiful  women,  and  their  lives. 
It  was  the  wedding  of  Floriano  di  Floriano  da  Montagnana 
with  one  of  Caterina's  ladies  that  drew  Bembo  away  from 
the  golden-haired  Lucrezia,  and  many  other  guests  had 
come  from  Venice,  and  from  all  the  neighboring  land, 
glad  to  escape  from  the  plains  to  the  heights  of  Asolo. 

Bembo  describes  a  day,  beginning  with  the  breakfast  at 
noon,  in  a  large  hall  with  a  loggia  on  either  side,  breezy 
and  cool  in  spite  of  the  heat  without.  Between  the  pil- 
lars of  the  loggia  the  spires  of  the  cypress  come  up  from 
the  gardens  below,  and  by  their  deep,  dark  green  remind 
one  of  coolness  and  shadow  as  contrasted  with  the  sunny 
lawns  outside.  The  meal  is  done;  but  Caterina  gives  no 
signal  for  rising,  and  two  of  her  maids  move  down  the 
hall,  and  courtesy  low  before  her.  One  of  them  strikes 
her  lute  and  sings  a  song  decrying  love ;  the  second 
answers  in  the  opposite  strain ;  and  a  third,  the  favorite 
of  Caterina,  to  the  accompaniment  of  her  viol,  sums  up 
the  argument  on  both  sides. 

Then  Caterina  and  most  of  her  guests  retire,  to  be 
seen  no  more  until  evening,  when  supper  will  call  them 
together,  and  be  followed  by  music  and  dancing  until 
dawn.  But  three  Venetian  couples  go  to  the  gardens, 
the  pride  of  Asolo,  the  young  men  in  short  black  cloaks 


CATERINA  CORNARO,  QUEEN  OF  CYPRUS.     239 

and  close-fitting  hose  of  many-colored  silks,  the  ladies  in 
velvet  and  brocades,  with  masses  of  golden  hair  rolled 
tightly  around  cushions.  How  sorry  we  are  that  on  this 
warm  day  they  had  no  more  comfortable  apparel !  Bembo 
gives  a  minute  description  of  the  walks,  the  stream  from 
the  living  rock  that  flowed  into  a  basin  of  stone,  and 
similar  objects,  and  ends  by  saying  that  they  talked  of 
platonic  love  through  all  the  afternoon. 

The  wedding  proves  that  all  love  was  not  platonic  here, 
and  every  fortnight  there  came  the  lord  of  Rimini, 
Pandolfo  Malatesta,  a  man  not  well  inclined  to  plato- 
nism.  Whether  he  paid  his  suit  to  Caterina  or  to  her 
maid  Fiammeta,  we  know  not,  but  in  either  case  it  gave 
a  spice  of  something  human  and  real  to  both  their  lives. 
Then  Caterina's  family  were  always  coming  and  going. 
They  thought  to  shine  by  the  reflected  light  of  her  posi- 
tion, and  she  was  called  upon  to  arrange  a  marriage  for 
her  niece  with  a  prince  of  Naples.  All  this  was  displeas- 
ing to  Venice.  The  Cornari  had  a  knight  and  a  cardinal 
in  their  family,  which  seemed  quite  sufficient  to  the 
Senate,  and  Caterina  was  warned  to  make  no  attempts  to 
confer  greater  benefits.  It  was  also  surmised  that  she 
did  not  forget  Cyprus,  and  she  was  curtly  advised  to  be 
content  with  Asolo,  and  send  not  her  thoughts  over  sea. 

These  suspicions  were  unjust.  Caterina  loved  her 
home ;  her  castle,  her  gardens,  her  court,  and  her  subjects 
were  all  dear  to  her,  and  she  left  them  but  three  times 
during  her  life  there.  Once,  when  the  severity  of  the 
winter  made  it  possible  for  men  to  walk  on  the  ice  from 
Mestre  to  Venice,  she  fled  to  her  palace  on  the  Grand 
Canal.  A  second  time  she  visited  her  brother  Giorgio  at 
Brescia,  where  he  was  podest&.  Here  she  was  received  as 
a  queen,  and  entered  the  city  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  four 
white  horses,  escorted  by  a  splendid  procession.  Pageants 
of  one  sort  and  another  were  kept  up  for  twelve  days.  It 


240  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

was  her  last  royal  reception.  Venice  was  jealous;  and 
for  this  honor  to  his  sister,  Giorgio  was  recalled  and 
deprived  of  his  position. 

The  wars  of  the  League  of  Cambray  drove  Caterina  to 
Venice  to  return  no  more.  She  died  on  July  10,  1510, 
when  fifty-six  years  old.  Venice  was  very  poor,  but  her 
funeral  was  as  splendid  as  could  be  afforded.  The 
Patriarch,  the  Senate,  the  Doge,  the  Archbishop  of 
Spalato,  and  an  immense  procession  of  citizens  followed 
her  coffin  to  the  Cornaro  chapel  in  the  Church  of  the 
Sant'  Apostoli  on  a  stormy  night  when  the  wind  howled 
and  the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  The  queen  was  dressed  in 
the  habit  of  Saint  Francis,  with  cord  and  cowl,  but  on  her 
coffin  lay  the  crown  of  Cyprus. 

The  next  day  a  full  funeral  service  was  celebrated,  and 
an  oration  pronounced  by  Andrea  Navagero,  a  poet  and 
scholar,  who  had  known  all  her  life,  and  whose  writings 
make  one  of  our  authorities  concerning  this  unhappy  and 
gentle  queen.  Doubtless  now  that  she  was  dead,  and  no 
longer  to  be  feared  by  those  suspicious  Senators,  he  was 
allowed  to  speak  of  all  the  beauty  of  person  and  character 
of  Caterina  Cornaro,  and  to  give  full  expression  to  the 
love  which  she  had  inspired  in  Venetians,  Cypriotes,  and 
Asolini.  In  1660  her  coffin  was  removed  to  San  Salvadore, 
and  placed  in  a  tomb  in  the  right  transept  of  this  church. 

Few  episodes  in  the  history  of  Venice  more  clearly 
show  her  astuteness,  her  prescience,  and  her  patient 
determination  than  does  the  story  of  Caterina  Cornaro, 
by  which  we  see  that  from  the  beginning  the  object  of  the 
Senate  was  to  obtain  possession  of  Cyprus.  For  this 
cause  the  little  maid  of  fourteen  was  made  the  child  of  the 
Republic.  Venice  had  not  the  faintest  claim  to  Cyprus. 
If  James  justly  bore  the  title  and  authority  which  Venice 
recognized  as  his,  his  will  should  have  been  regarded. 
The  simple  truth  is  that  Venice  coveted  Cyprus,  and 


EOSALBA   CARRIERA.  241 

Caterina  was  the  cat's  paw  with  which  she  could  work 
her  will.  Ninety-two  years  later  the  Turks  robbed  her  of 
it,  and  during  this  short  rule  there  were  endless  costs  and 
constant  difficulties  to  be  overcome.  Historians  believe 
Cyprus  to  have  been  an  incalculable  injury  to  the  Repub- 
lic. The  unbridled  luxury  and  license  in  the  life  of  the 
island  had  its  evil  effect  on  Venice,  and  the  early  part  of 
the  sixteenth  century  developed  there  such  expensive  liv- 
ing as  threatened  financial  ruin, — such  license,  even  in 
the  religious  houses,  as  brought  her  world-wide  disgrace, 
and  such  growth  in  vice,  decay  of  health,  and  increase  of 
infectious  diseases  as  threatened  the  extermination  of  the 
noble  and  wealthy  classes. 

ROSALBA   CARRIERA. 

Born  in  1675,  this  artist  belongs  to  modern  Venice. 
Her  father,  Andrea  Camera  de  Costantino,  was  chancel- 
lor of  the  little  village  of  Gambarare,  on  the  Brenta ;  and 
as  his  salary  was  insufficient  for  the  support  of  his  wife 
and  three  daughters,  Rosalba,  the  eldest,  worked  with 
her  mother  at  making  Point  de  Venise  lace.  Fortunately 
for  Rosalba's  fame,  this  lace  went  out  of  fashion,  and  she 
then  attempted  the  painting  of  miniatures  on  tobacco 
boxes,  in  which  art  she  was  instructed  by  a  French 
painter,  Jean  St£ve,  having  before  had  lessons  in  drawing 
from  a  Hungarian,  Bencowich.  The  boxes  she  painted 
are  now  much  prized. 

Later  she  studied  under  Antonio  Lazzari,  Diamantini, 
Balestra,  and  others.  She  practised  painting  in  oils, 
but  preferred  miniature  and  crayons.  Her  taste  for 
crayons  was  cultivated  by  an  English  artist,  Cole,  who 
excelled  in  that  art.  When  twenty-four  years  old, 
Rosalba  had  become  famous  for  her  miniatures  and  por- 
traits in  crayon.  Carlo  Maratti  and  Crespi  compared  her 

16 


242  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

to  Guido  Rcni,  and  she  was  made  an  Academician  at  St 
Luke  in  Rome  and  at  the  Clementina  at  Bologna. 

We  know  how,  in  her  time,  the  royal  personages  of  the 
whole  world  loved  to  visit  Venice ;  and  it  came  to  be  a 
part  of  their  pleasure  there  to  have  miniatures  from 
Rosalba's  hand.  In  1709  the  King  of  Denmark  sat  for 
his  own  portrait,  and  gave  her  an  order  for  twelve  minia- 
tures, to  be  portraits  of  some  of  the  loveliest  young  girls 
in  the  city.  The  Elector  Palatine  soon  after  sat  for  a 
portrait,  and  sent  her  afterwards  a  golden  medallion  on  a 
chain,  weighing  two  hundred  ounces ;  and  the  enamel  box 
containing  it  was  of  great  value.  Augustus  111.,  Elector 
of  Saxony,  after  he  became  King  of  Poland,  was  one  of 
her  benefactors ;  and  her  portrait  of  him  in  a  scarlet  dress, 
with  a  cross  on  the  breast  and  a  peruke  on  his  head,  was 
much  prized  by  him.  The  list  of  her  friends  and  admirers 
at  this  period  includes  many  well-known  names.  John 
Law,  the  Scotch  financier,  Vleughels,  who  became  the 
director  of  the  French  Academy  at  Rome,  and  the  distin- 
guished author  Zanetti  were  among  them;  and  Pierre 
Crozat  urged  her  going  to  Paris,  offering  her  the  use  of 
his  own  hotel. 

She  was  so  celebrated  at  home  and  abroad  that  she 
could  not  fill  her  orders,  and  was  aided  in  her  crayon 
pictures  by  her  sisters,  who  also  painted  somewhat.  In 
all  the  courts  of  Europe  the  miniatures  of  Rosalba  were 
preferred  before  those  of  the  Florentine  Giovanna  Fratel- 
lini,  and  she  was  most  happy  in  her  life  and  in  her  art, 
when  the  death  of  her  father  prostrated  her  with  grief. 
Her  sister  Angela  had  married  Antonio  Pellegrini,  and  by 
his  persuasion  Rosalba  consented  to  go  to  Paris.  Her 
mother  and  sister  Giovanna  were  with  her ;  and  the  three 
were  received  into  the  H6tel  Crozat,  on  the  Rue  de  Riche- 
lieu, where  all  possible  comforts  and  a  carriage  were  at 
their  disposal.  Pellegrini  and  Angela  lodged  near  by, 


ROSALBA   CARRIERA.  243 

and  for  a  year  Rosalba  was  in  constant  association  with 
the  best  society  in  Paris.  Crozat  admired  her  to  enthusi- 
asm. He  thought  her  as  fine  a  musician  as  painter.  He 
gave  concerts,  at  which  she  played  the  violin  accompanied 
by  other  instruments  played  by  well-known  musicians. 
The  guests  at  these  musicales  were  celebrated  artists, 
authors,  and  prominent  persons,  among  whom  the  Regent 
himself  was  glad  to  be  numbered.  Watteau  painted  a 
picture  of  the  principal  virtuosos  at  these  concerts. 
Mariette  wrote  their  names  on  it  in  Latin,  and  with  his 
collection  it  went  to  the  Louvre.  Rosalba's  journal,  kept 
while  in  Paris,  is  very  interesting,  and  has  been  pub- 
lished both  in  Italian  and  French. 

During  her  stay  in  Paris,  Rosalba  painted  numerous 
small  pictures,  made  many  drawings,  and  executed  two 
pictures  of  Venus  for  M.  Crozat,  and  an  Apollo  and 
Daphne  for  Claude  Audran,  besides  nearly  fifty  portraits. 
Among  her  subjects  were  men  and  women  of  the  highest 
character  and  position.  Her  artistic  skill  was  recognized 
by  the  greatest  compliment  that  could  be  paid  her  in 
France.  She  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Academy  of 
Painting,  "  no  one  wishing  to  cast  a  black  ball, "  as  she 
wrote  in  her  journal.  She  was  invited  there,  and  pre- 
sented a  portrait  of  Louis  XV.  in  pastel,  which  was 
praised  by  the  director,  Antoine  Coypel.  Her  "picture 
of  reception,"  which  was  sent  from  Venice  later,  is  now 
at  the  Louvre. 

She  returned  to  her  little  house  in  Venice  a  widely 
celebrated  woman,  whose  praises  were  sounded  in  prose 
and  verse.  She  dwelt  in  the  Quarter  Dorsoduro,  near  the 
Church  of  San  Vito.  Here  she  received  many  distin- 
guished visitors.  She  was  invited  to  various  courts  of 
Europe ;  and  until  she  reached  the  age  of  seventy  her  life 
was  fruitful  in  work  and  in  triumphs  such  as  could  not 
have  failed  to  make  her  native  city  proud  of  her.  Eleven 


244  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

years  before  her  death  she  became  blind,  and  from  that 
time  she  received  no  strangers,  though  many  desired  to 
see  her.  To  her  sister  Angela  she  sent  letters,  written 
from  her  dictation,  which  spoke  all  too  plainly  of  the 
loneliness  she  would  fain  have  concealed  from  those  who 
loved  her. 

By  her  will  she  remembered  all  her  relatives,  her  ser- 
vants and  attendants,  and  some  of  her  pupils.  She  gave 
the  bulk  of  her  property  to  her  sister  Angela,  who  was 
but  two  years  younger  than  herself.  She  died  when 
eighty-two  years  old,  and  was  buried  in  the  little  church 
of  her  parish  beside  her  sister  Griovannina,  whose  death 
she  had  mourned  for  twenty  years. 

Pictures  by  Rosalba  Carriera  are  seen  in  the  Louvre, 
and  in  the  Academy  of  Venice  and  the  Church  of  San 
Gervasio  e  Protasio,  but  the  largest  collection  is  at 
Dresden ;  and  to  be  perfectly  candid,  it  does  seem  that  the 
eighteenth-century  critics  have  been  more  than  kind  in 
their  praises  of  her  works.  If  we  were  writing  strictly  of 
art,  we  could  not  give  her  a  very  exalted  rank ;  but  as  a 
Venetian  woman  who  made  herself  of  note  in  the  world 
in  her  day  and  generation,  she  is  most  important,  and 
stands  quite  alone. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  ARCHIVES   OF  VENICE. 

"OROBABLY  no  other  collection  of  state  papers  exists 
-L  that  can  compare  in  interest  with  the  archives  of 
Venice,  now  preserved  in  the  Convent  of  the  Frari,  and 
most  courteously  at  the  disposal  of  all  who  seriously  wish 
to  study  them.  It  is  said  that  the  two  hundred  and 
ninety-five  rooms  in  which  these  archives  are  disposed 
contain  more  than  fourteen  million  documents,  the  ear- 
liest dating  from  883.  Even  so,  many  Venetian  records 
were  doubtless  lost  in  the  conflagrations  between  the 
thirteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  of  which  we  have 
accounts,  for  there  are  some  important  periods  quite 
blank ;  and  as  late  as  1797  a  mob  invaded  the  Hall  of  the 
Council  of  Ten,  and  dispersed  the  papers  found  there,, 
which  would  no  doubt  have  been  of  great  value.  The 
knowledge  that  has  been  gained  from  these  records  and 
given  to  the  world  within  a  half-century  is  most  impor- 
tant and  entertaining,  and  we  are  greatly  indebted  to  the 
numerous  scholarly  writers  who  have  given  us  the  results 
of  their  researches;  but  there  remains  much  more  to  be 
done  before  the  stores  of  information  and  entertainment  in 
the  archives  of  the  Frari  will  be  exhausted. 

It  is  from  them  that  the  true  stories  of  Faliero,  Pisanir 
Carmagnola,  Caterina  Cornaro,  and  others  have  been 
taken.  They  tell  of  all  the  great  ceremonials,  even  to 
the  minutest  details.  The  letters  of  royal  personages  are 
there  preserved.  Civil  and  criminal  trials,  reports, 


246  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

despatches,  and,  in  short,  every  imaginable  thing  that 
could  have  happened,  been  suspected,  or  whispered  in  all 
Venice,  seems  to  be  there  writ  down.  To  the  casual 
observer,  perhaps  the  most  striking  feature  of  these 
papers  is  the  attention  given  to  matters  of  minor  impor- 
tance by  the  government  of  the  Republic.  We  know  that 
each  department  was  concerned  with  its  special  subject, 
but  concerned  in  such  a  way  that  we  can  almost  learn 
what  was  eaten  in  a  particular  palace  on  a  certain  day 
centuries  ago ;  and  the  manner  in  which  matters  that  are 
regulated  by  custom  or  individual  fancy  in  other  coun- 
tries were  the  subjects  of  special  decrees  in  Venice,  is 
most  surprising. 

The  papers  of  the  secret  chancellery,  established  in 
1402,  exceed  all  others  in  general  interest.  The  direction 
of  this  department  pertained  to  the  Council  of  Ten ;  and 
here  the  story  of  the  growth,  splendor,  and  decline  of  the 
Republic  can  be  read  with  all  its  complications.  In  the 
study  of  these  papers,  as  they  have  been  given  us  by 
patient  writers,  we  are  impressed  anew  with  the  utter 
disregard  of  individual  interests  and  schemes,  and  the 
persistent  devotion  to  the  good  of  the  Republic,  first, 
last,  and  always.  Venetians  formed  no  syndicates,  and 
profited  by  no  monopolies.  Venice  was  the  syndicate, 
and  the  monopoly  was  hers. 

Private  owners  of  vessels  were  not  allowed  to  send  car- 
goes to  ports  to  which  Venice  sent  fleets.  Vessels  were 
built  and  fitted  out  by  the  State,  and  put  up  at  auction  to 
be  bidden  for  by  the  merchants,  the  voyages  all  being 
made  according  to  regulations,  and  a  good  share  of  the 
profits  paid  to  the  State.  Private  owners  were  licensed 
before  freighting  a  ship,  and  no  ship  not  commanded  by 
a  Venetian  was  permitted  to  sail  from  the  lagoons.  Ships 
of  war  guarded  the  mouths  of  the  rivers,  and  all  foreign 
vessels  were  liable  to  inspection.  All  kinds  of  goods  car- 


Museo  Civico; 

Formerly  Palace  Ferrara,  later  Fondaco  dei  Titrcbi 


THE  ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE.  247 

ried  in  Venetian  ships  were  obliged  to  be  taken  to  Venice 
before  they  could  be  sent  to  any  other  port.  Thus  it 
became  a  great  mart  for  the  merchandise  of  all  countries, 
and  we  can  scarcely  imagine  the  enormous  supplies  of 
costly  and  magnificent  Oriental  products  which  filled  her 
storehouses,  and  were  thence  distributed  all  over  the 
western  and  northern  world  in  exchange  for  other  goods 
as  well  as  for  gold.  Her  commerce  with  Nuremberg  was 
important,  and  there  was  a  weekly  post  between  the  two 
cities  in  1505,  when  Albert  Durer  made  the  journey  to 
Venice. 

Her  unique  position  made  Venice  the  chief  market  for 
all  the  East,  and  her  supremacy  in  the  Levant  forbade  all 
rivals  to  attempt  competing  with  her;  but  if  she  thus 
deprived  other  nations  of  the  privileges  of  commerce,  she 
protected  them  from  the  Turk.  She  was  a  bulwark  that 
could  neither  be  ignored  nor  overthrown.  Every  branch 
of  commerce  was  made  tributary  to  her,  and  her  coffers 
were  always  full.  She  expended  her  wealth  at  home, 
encouraging  her  workers  in  metals,  glass,  and  mosaics, 
and  the  manufactures  of  silk  and  wool,  as  well  as  in  cher- 
ishing the  fine  arts  and  improving  the  city. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century  so  great 
a  number  of  merchants  periodically  visited  Venice  that 
no  sufficient  provision  could  be  made  for  them  in  the 
public  houses,  and  the  question  as  to  how  and  where 
they  could  live  was  solved  by  the  establishment  of  the 
Fondachi,  where  they  were  lodged,  free  of  cost,  after 
reporting  to  the  proper  magistrate,  and  showing  their 
purpose  in  coming  to  Venice.  Warehouses  were  attached 
to  the  Fondachi,  supplied  with  weighers  and  keepers  to 
attend  to  the  storing  and  care  of  merchandise. 

The  Germans,  Armenians,  Moors,  and  Turks,  all  had 
these  Fondachi,  as  well  as  the  Tuscans  and  other  Italians. 
A  superb  palace  on  the  Grand  Canal,  which  has  been 


248  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

restored,  and  is  now  the  Museo  Civico,  was  given  to  the 
Turks.  It  is  nearly  as  old  as  the  Ducal  Palace,  and  very 
remarkable.  But  as  the  Turks  were  infidels,  the  windows 
were  walled  up,  the  rooms  thus  being  lighted  only  from 
the  court.  A  Catholic  warder  closed  the  doors  at  sunset. 
No  women  or  children  were  allowed  to  enter,  and  no 
Ottoman  was  permitted  to  lodge  elsewhere.  Greeks  and 
Syrians  were  allowed  the  utmost  freedom  in  all  parts  of 
the  city. 

The  Jews  were  not  liked,  and  many  regulations  were 
made  for  them.  At  times  they  were  excluded  from 
Venice,  but  their  aptitude  in  all  matters  of  trade  made 
them  almost  a  necessity.  Indeed,  they  had  the  monopoly 
of  money  changing,  and  the  Senate  found  that  they  must 
be  at  hand.  Many  regulations  were  made  as  to  where 
they  should  live,  concerning  certain  badges  they  must 
wear,  forbidding  them  to  own  houses  or  lands,  to  enter 
any  profession  save  that  of  medicine,  to  open  their  doors 
between  sunset  and  sunrise,  or  to  go  out  at  all  on  holi- 
days. They  were  not  permitted  to  have  a  synagogue,  and 
a  burial-place  was  given  them  grudgingly. 

So  fully  did  the  rulers  of  Venice  appreciate  the  impor- 
tance and  dignity  of  her  commerce  that  they  permitted  the 
Fondachi  to  be  splendidly  decorated,  and  by  the  best  art- 
ists. Nothing  can  give  a  better  idea  of  the  wealth  and 
luxury  of  the  Venetian  merchants  than  the  following 
extract  from  Mutinelli :  — 

"  When  the  news  of  the  victory  of  Lepanto  reached  Venice, 
the  Germans  were  the  first  who  wished  to  celebrate  it  by  a 
splendid  illumination  in  their  Fondaco  on  the  Rialto.  All  the 
other  merchants  followed  this  example  ;  and  those  who  most 
distinguished  themselves  were  the  jewellers,  the  Tuscans,  and 
the  mercers.  The  well-known  portico  of  the  Rialto,  where 
the  drapers'  shops  are,  was  hung  with  turquoise-blue  fabrics, 
spangled  with  gold  and  lined  with  scarlet.  Each  shop  had  its 


THE  ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE.  249 

decoration  ;  there  were  panoplies  of  Oriental  arms  taken  from 
the  Turks,  and  in  the  midst  of  these  trophies  were  to  be  seen 
pictures  by  Giovanni  Bellini,  Giorgione,  Sebastian  del  Piombo, 
Titian,  and  Pordenone.  At  the  entrance  of  the  bridge  an  arch 
was  raised  on  which  the  arms  of  the  allied  powers  were  repre- 
sented quartered  on  the  same  scutcheon.  Banners  and  festoons 
hung  from  every  arch  and  every  window;  torches  and  silver  can- 
delabra placed  on  every  projection  illuminated  the  streets,  and 
turned  the  night  into  a  bright  and  splendid  day." 

And  in  a  manuscript  in  the  library  of  St.  Mark  is 
written :  — 

"Thursday  was  the  festival  of  the  Doge,  Thomas  Mocenigo  ; 
great  stands  were  raised  in  tiers  on  St.  Mark's  Place  for  the 
women.  The  goldsmiths  placed  two  silver  helmets  in  the  midst, 
with  their  enamelled  plumes,  which  cost  a  hundred  ducats  apiece. 
Then  came  a  procession  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  goldsmiths, 
dressed  in  scarlet  and  mounted  on  richly  caparisoned  horses 
(each  harness  costing  three  ducats)  preceded  by  trumpeters  and 
musicians,  who  marched  round  the  Piazza  in  regular  order. 
Then  followed  the  companies  of  the  Marquis  of  Ferrara  and  of 
the  Lord  of  Mantua,  the  first  composed  of  two  hundred  and 
sixty  horsemen  ;  it  was  a  great  consolation  to  behold  so  many 
coursers,  so  many  devices  and  ornaments  and  flags  and  stream- 
ers. The  tournament  lasted  from  seventeen  o'clock  [four]  till 
twenty-two  o'clock  [nine],  and  it  was  a  marvel  to  see  so  many 
gentle  deeds.  One  of  the  silver  caskets  was  presented  by  the 
goldsmiths  to  a  knight  of  the  Marquis  of  Ferrara,  and  the 
other  to  the  Lord  of  Mantua  ;  and  it  was  a  great  triumph  to 
behold.  On  the  Sunday  following,  the  28th  of  March,  1415, 
there  was  a  joust,  —  a  noble  sight  to  see,  with  all  these  lords 
and  their  companions  and  devices." 

Gradually  the  trading-galleys  of  the  Venetians,  which 
sailed  in  small  fleets,  left  Venice  at  fixed  seasons,  and 
made  regular  voyages  all  over  the  known  seas ;  and  at  the 
mouths  of  the  rivers  of  Europe  they  met  boats  bringing 


250  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

inland  cargoes  to  be  sold  to  the  Venetian  captains,  or 
exchanged  for  their  goods.  Venetian  manufacturers  were 
thus  supplied  with  raw  materials,  as  well  as  with  speci- 
mens of  the  products  of  all  other  countries,  to  be  imitated 
or  excelled  in  Venice.  As  a  rule,  Venetian  manufactures 
were  in  demand.  The  armor  and  weapons  of  Venice  were 
equal  to  any  that  could  be  found  at  the  same  period.  Her 
cloths  of  gold  and  silver,  velvets,  jewelry,  and  splendid 
adornments  were  unequalled,  while  many  of  the  com- 
moner articles  of  trade  were  made  there  in  the  best  man- 
ner. Their  immense  commerce  in  beads  and  glass  has 
already  been  described.  In  order  to  increase  their  busi- 
ness in  the  different  ports  which  the  galleys  visited,  Venice 
purchased  warehouses  called  "factories,"  and  put  them 
in  charge  of  such  agents  as  would  wisely  conduct  them. 

When  we  read  how  slowly  the  unwieldy  trading-galleys 
moved,  —  not  more  than  twenty  miles  a  day,  and  were  a 
year  in  reaching  England,  —  we  can  but  admire,  almost 
with  reverence,  the  men  who  could  "  make  haste  slowly  " 
with  such  perseverance  as  did  these  Venetians.  In  1488 
the  Senate  offered  a  reward  of  £650  to  any  ship-builder 
who  could  build  a  galley  of  one  thousand  tons  burden. 

Each  galley  required  one  hundred  and  sixty  rowers,  and 
altogether  carried  about  three  hundred  men.  They  suf- 
fered great  inconvenience,  and  encountered  many  dangers. 
The  Senate  made  the  most  exact  rules  concerning  their 
wages,  food,  the  parts  of  the  vessel  to  which  they  should 
have  access,  when  and  where  they  should  go  on  shore,  and 
many  other  details.  The  ship  of  the  chief  captain  car- 
ried a  master,  a  nautical  adviser,  eight  pilots,  a  mate, 
two  scribes,  two  doctors,  a  priest,  a  lawyer,  an  carmaker, 
carpenter,  calker  and  weigher,  a  cook,  a  cellarman, 
three  servants,  two  fifers,  and  two  trumpeters,  besides 
thirty  bowmen  in  charge  of  four  young  noblemen.  The 
duties  and  salaries  of  each  and  all  these  men  were  fixed 


THE   ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE.  251 

by  the  Senate,  as  well  as  the  method  of  loading  and 
unloading  the  ships.  As  we  think  of  all  this  tediousness 
for  everybody  concerned  in  Venetian  commerce  in  the 
Middle  Ages,  from  the  Doge  down  to  the  humblest  servi- 
tor of  them  all,  the  commerce  of  the  present  day,  with 
our  labor-saving  machinery,  our  swift  sailing-vessels,  and 
space-annihilating  steam-engines,  seems  insignificant  in 
a  way. 

John  B.  Marsh,  in  his  "Stories  of  Venice  and  the 
Venetians,"  gives  an  account  of  the  experiences  of  a  mer- 
chant fleet,  which  has  a  special  interest,  as  Christopher 
Columbus  acted  a  prominent  part  in  the  story,  which  Mr. 
Marsh  claims  is  authenticated  in  the  state  papers.  It  is 
essentially  as  follows :  — 

On  April  12,  1485,  Bartolommeo  Minio  was  appointed 
captain  of  four  galleys  to  make  the  Flanders  voyage. 
They  had  been  bidden  in  by  some  merchants  who  had 
goods  suited  to  the  northern  markets  at  £220  per  galley. 
The  great  galleys  were  loaded.  The  prows  were  fenced 
to  afford  footing  to  the  crossbowmen.  All  the  different 
officers  and  men  were  selected  and  bound  to  complete  the 
voyage.  The  cargo  of  glass,  jewels,  gold,  silver,  furs, 
silks,  and  damasks,  bales  of  spices,  dried  fruits,  and 
Malmsey  wine  was  all  on  board,  and  an  official  from  the 
Arsenal  approved  of  all  the  preparations. 

Then  Minio,  the  commander,  in  presence  of  the  whole 
Senate  and  the  captains  who  were  to  sail  with  him,  took 
an  oath  upon  the  Bible  that  he  would  obey  the  regulations 
of  the  Senate  regarding  the  galleys  and  the  people  on 
board,  and  would  care  for  them  all  in  good  faith.  The 
preparations  being  thus  completed,  to  the  sound  of  trum- 
pets the  rowers  began  their  labor,  and  the  galleys  moved 
from  the  canal  into  the  Gulf  of  Venice. 

Between  Pola  and  Zara  it  was  Minio's  duty  to  pipe  all 
hands  for  action.  The  decks  were  cleared,  hatches  fas- 


252  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

tened  down,  and  the  four  brass  cannon  on  each  galley 
were  made  ready  to  meet  an  enemy.  The  bowmen  took 
advantageous  positions,  and  went  through  evolutions  as 
if  in  battle.  This  being  done,  the  fleet  was  anchored  for 
the  night.  Supper  was  served  to  Minio  and  his  chief 
officers  in  the  principal  cabin.  The  bowmen  and  archers 
were  in  another  cabin,  but  the  rowers  ate  as  they  sat  at 
work.  Each  man  received  eighteen  ounces  of  biscuit,  and 
an  allowance  of  common  wine  daily,  and  in  front  of  each 
bench  of  rowers  was  a  locker  for  food.  Having  passed 
the  Adriatic,  the  galleys  were  allowed  to  remain  a  few 
hours  at  Otranto,  and  reaching  Messina  they  anchored  for 
four  days.  The  merchants  went  on  shore,  and  exchanged 
some  goods  for  oil  and  wine,  while  the  oarsmen  enjoyed  a 
much  needed  rest.  At  Palermo  the  same  stay  was  made, 
and  thence  they  crossed  to  the  coast  of  Tunis  and  Algiers, 
and  passing  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  reached 
Cadiz.  Here  a  stay  of  six  days  was  made,  and  then,  hav- 
ing taken  two  pilots  for  each  galley,  they  prepared  to  pass 
along  the  coast  of  Portugal  and  cross  the  Bay  of  Biscay. 
Ten  hides  were  purchased  for  each  galley  and  stretched 
across  the  holds  to  protect  the  cargo ;  and  all  having  thus 
far  been  prosperous,  they  started  upon  the  most  dangerous 
part  of  their  voyage. 

Near  Cape  St.  Vincent,  on  an  August  afternoon,  Minio 
saw  a  fleet  of  seven  armed  ships  bearing  the  French  flag. 
They  were  corsairs  under  the  command  of  Niccolo  Griego, 
and  one  of  his  chief  captains  was  Christopher  Columbus. 
The  two  fleets  anchored  within  sight  of  each  other,  and 
during  the  night  the  Venetians  made  the  best  preparation 
possible  for  a  contest  with  the  pirates ;  and  at  daybreak 
the  attack  was  made.  The  Venetians  fought  so  bravely 
that  the  battle  was  prolonged  during  the  entire  day,  and 
only  at  sunset  were  they  finally  conquered,  and  that  at  a 
large  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  to  the  corsairs,  and 


THE  ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE.  253 

serious  injury  to  their  vessels,  which  they  were  compelled 
to  run  into  the  nearest  port,  in  order  to  save  them  from 
shipwreck.  This  port  was  Lisbon;  and  as  the  King  of 
Portugal  was  friendly  to  Venice,  the  pirates  hastened  to 
mend  their  ships,  transfer  the  cargoes  from  the  three 
Venetian  galleys,  which  were  worthless,  to  their  own,  and 
with  the  one  that  was  seaworthy  to  sail  for  Honfleur. 

When  the  news  reached  the  King  of  Portugal,  he  has- 
tened to  assist  the  surviving  Venetians,  and  sent  them 
home  as  soon  as  possible.  Two  captains  and  many  noble 
youths  had  been  slain.  The  pirates  had  thrown  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  dead  men  into  the  sea,  and  three  hundred 
others  were  seriously  wounded,  many  of  whom  soon  died. 

When  the  Senate  heard  what  had  happened,  they  sent  a 
swift  fleet  to  seize  a  French  galeas  then  at  Alexandria. 
They  sent  ambassadors  to  the  courts  of  France,  England, 
and  Burgundy,  soliciting  aid  in  recovering  their  vessels 
and  cargoes.  In  the  following  spring  two  galleys, 
freighted  with  the  cargoes  saved  from  the  four  vessels 
captured  by  Columbus,  were  sent  to  Southampton,  and 
there  were  sold  by  the  Venetian  Consul.  The  Venetians 
owed  thanks  for  this  to  the  French,  who  would  not  permit 
Columbus  to  leave  Honfleur  until  he  had  given  up  his 
plunder.  When  the  sum  received  at  Southampton,  and 
the  value  of  the  damaged  ships  which  were  brought  back 
to  Venice  was  deducted  from  the  whole,  the  Senate 
announced  the  total  loss  which  the  Eepublic  had  sus- 
tained to  be  £32,200.  When  we  remember  that  such 
disasters  were  not  uncommon,  we  do  not  wonder  at  the 
Venetian  proverb,  "If  you  want  to  learn  to  pray,  go  to 
sea. " 

This  particular  misfortune  caused  much  distress  to  the 
wool-workers,  and  the  Senate  removed  all  restrictions  on 
the  importation  of  wool  for  several  months,  in  order  to 
relieve  the  pressure  in  that  particular  trade. 


254  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

This  story  of  Columbus  is  in  exact  accord  with  the 
opinion  of  Charles  Kendall  Adams,  in  his  most  excellent 
life  of  Columbus.  He  says :  — 

"In  point  of  character,  — considering  the  term  in  the  largest 
and  broadest  possible  sense,  —  we  shall  probably  not  find  much 
to  admire.  The  moral  atmosphere  which  he  created  about  him 
was  not  much  better  or  much  worse  than  the  general  atmosphere 
of  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  He  entered  no  protest  against 
any  of  the  abuses  of  his  time.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  ever 
ready  to  avail  himself  of  those  abuses  whenever  he  could  do  so 
to  his  own  advantage." 

To  resume  our  study  of  the  mercantile  policy  of  Venice, 
so  quick  was  she  to  see  her  advantage  in  all  directions 
and  to  take  up  new  industries  whenever  it  was  possible, 
that  no  sooner  was  the  question  raised  as  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  art  of  printing  than  it  was  generously  encour- 
aged. Venetian  printing  dates  from  1469,  and  the  honor 
of  its  introduction  rests  between  John  of  Spires  and 
Nicholas  Jenson.  The  latter  was  a  Frenchman,  sent  by 
Louis  XL  to  Mayence  to  learn  printing.  He  never  re- 
turned to  France,  and  the  only  question  as  to  his  career 
in  Venice  is  the  actual  date  of  his  first  book. 

Venice  soon  became  a  city  of  printers.  Between  1472 
and  1500  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  printers  established 
themselves  there,  some  of  them  being  the  most  celebrated 
printers  of  that  age.  In  other  cities  of  the  Republic  the 
printing  of  books  rapidly  grew  into  an  enormous  industry. 
We  can  scarcely  realize  what  the  demand  for  books 
became  so  soon  as  it  could  be  satisfied.  The  slow  pro- 
cesses of  caligraphy  had  only  created  a  desire  it  could 
never  content.  At  the  same  time  the  exquisite  ornamen- 
tation of  the  manuscripts  had  fostered  a  taste  for  dainty 
books  which  a  plain-printed  page  could  not  satisfy ;  and 
then,  too,  those  who  could  afford  the  silky  vellum,  with 


THE  ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE.  255 

its  lovely  miniatures,  decorative  initial  letters,  and  grace- 
ful borders,  did  not  relish  books  so  cheaply  made  that 
any  one  could  buy  them,  and  no  distinction  was  attached 
to  their  ownership.  Thus  it  resulted  that  the  early 
printers  made  a  few  vellum  copies  of  their  works,  and 
employed  the  miniaturists  to  ornament  them  in  the  style 
of  the  manuscripts.  Among  these  books  those  of  Jenson, 
made  at  Venice,  are  the  most  remarkable,  and  bring 
fabulous  prices  when  sold  in  the  present  day. 

After  1480  the  printers  employed  engravers,  and  from 
that  time  the  Venetian  books  were  very  notable.  For 
two  centuries  Venice  was  the  centre  for  printing,  and 
besides  her  strictly  literary  publications  she  furnished 
school-books  to  all  Italy;  books  of  exquisite  designs  to 
lace-makers  and  embroiderers;  missals,  breviaries  and 
books  of  hours  to  the  devout ;  and  to  the  general  reader, 
books  of  romantic  adventures,  poems,  and  numberless 
accounts  of  festivals  and  important  events.  These,  now 
literally  worth  their  weight  in  gold,  were  made  in  little 
shops  where  the  industrious  artisans  actually  made  the 
designs  and  executed  the  engravings  of  the  books  they 
printed.  The  amount  of  printing  and  bookmaking  done 
at  Venice  up  to  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  as 
compared  with  all  the  rest  of  Italy  and  Lyons,  is  simply 
amazing.  Of  the  great  printer,  Aldus,  I  shall  speak  more 
at  length  elsewhere. 

In  1498  the  Senate  granted  to  Ottaviano  Petrucci  the 
privilege  of  printing  music  for  twenty  years,  for  which 
time  Venice  may  be  said  to  have  monopolized  that  very 
important  art.  Petrucci  ceased  to  publish  in  1525;  and 
it  is  believed  that  he  worked  alone,  as  later  music 
printers  were  greatly  his  inferiors.  His  books  are  now 
very  rare,  and  proportionately  valuable. 

In  all  these  important  affairs  the  wisdom  of  the  Vene- 
tians is  most  apparent,  and  the  results  of  their  system  are 


256  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

its  justification  in  many  directions.  But  in  the  midst  of 
great  matters  the  smaller  ones  were  by  no  means  forgot- 
ten, and  jealousy  of  individualism  was  the  motive  that 
induced  the  Senate  gravely  to  make  and  severely  to  exe- 
cute laws  which  seem  to  us  most  puerile  and  unworthy. 

In  wealthy  families,  on  the  occasion  of  a  baptism,  it 
was  not  allowable  to  invite  patricians  or  high  officials  as 
witnesses,  because  it  was  feared  that  these  families  would 
become  too  powerful  if  too  closely  allied,  and  the  position 
of  godfather  was  one  of  very  intimate  relations  and  sacred 
trusts.  So  in  marriages,  in  families  of  importance,  as 
has  already  been  shown,  certain  ceremonies  must  be  held 
in  the  Ducal  Palace,  thus  assuring  a  publicity  which 
enabled  the  State  to  have  its  part  in  the  affair,  and  have 
full  knowledge  of  it,  the  religious  ceremony  being  appar- 
ently quite  a  secondary  matter. 

With  death  only  did  jealousy  cease,  and  at  funerals  the 
noble  and  wealthy  Venetians  were  permitted  to  freely 
indulge  their  love  of  pageantry.  The  funeral  procession 
of  a  patrician  was  usually  at  night.  About  two  in  the 
morning  all  the  clergy  of  the  quarter  in  which  the  dead 
had  resided,  with  relatives  and  friends,  attended  the  body 
to  the  church.  Here  it  was  placed  on  a  bier,  the  nave 
being  lighted  by  torch-bearers,  and  sentinels  placed  on 
guard  until  the  morning  hour,  when  the  burial  took  place. 
At  this  ceremony  a  large  number  of  clergy,  and  all  per- 
sons named  in  the  will  of  the  deceased,  preceded  the  body 
to  its  final  resting-place. 

If  the  dead  had  been  eminent  for  services  to  the  State, 
all  the  clergy  of  the  chapter  of  St.  Mark,  the  prebenda- 
ries of  the  Archbishop's  cathedral,  and  the  chapter  of 
the  Congregation  led  the  procession.  Two  canons  of  St. 
Mark  acted  as  precentors  in  singing  dirges.  Then  came 
men  bearing  the  ornamented  and  embroidered  banners  of 
all  the  guilds  and  societies  to  which  the  deceased  had 


THE  ARCHIVES  OF  VENICE.  257 

belonged.  Next  followed  the  brethren  of  the  "Scuola" 
with  which  he  had  been  associated.  These  frequently 
numbered  two  hundred,  all  in  white  robes,  and  by  night 
bearing  torches.  Behind  them  the  body,  on  a  bier,  was 
borne  by  eight  men.  It  was  most  richly  dressed,  and 
covered  with  a  trellis  of  golden  wire.  Lastly  followed 
the  relatives,  friends,  servants,  and  behind  all  others, 
the  orphan  children  of  the  dead  man. 

Next  day  the  friends,  in  funeral  attire,  went  to  the 
Ducal  Palace,  whither  the  bereaved  family  were  expected 
to  come,  and  there  receive  condolences. 

The  Venetian  archives  throw  a  very  favorable  light  on 
the  hospitality,  benevolence,  and  wisdom  in  sanitary 
regulations  shown  by  the  rulers  of  Venice  in  the  Middle 
Ages.  From  the  time  of  Michieli  II.  (1117-28)  the 
streets  were  lighted  at  night,  and  watchmen  had  been 
employed  earlier  than  that,  —  at  least  a  century  before 
they  were  instituted  in  London,  under  Henry  III. 

From  a  very  ancient  date  Venice  was  "  a  place  of  uni- 
versal resort,  the  Goshen  of  Italy."  Strangers  were 
constantly  arriving  and  departing,  and  as  early  as  the 
beginning  of  the  fourteenth  century  the  new-comer,  as 
he  landed  at  the  Piazza  of  St.  Mark,  was  met  by  one  of 
the  messeti  or  sensali,  who  were  always  there,  and  served 
the  stranger  as  the  commissionaires  now  do  wherever  trav- 
ellers are  found,  but  with  one  great  difference :  in  Venice 
these  men  were  in  the  care  of  the  messetaria,  —  a  depart- 
ment of  the  public  service,  —  and  they  dared  not  practise 
deceit  or  cheating,  being  sure  of  paying  the  penalty  if 
they  did.  It  was  also  the  duty  of  the  messetaria  to  see 
that  no  imposition  was  practised  by  the  keepers  of  hostel- 
ries,  or  any  advantage  taken  of  unsuspicious  strangers. 

The  ancient  hotels  of  Venice  were  celebrated.  In  the 
fourteenth  century  the  Moon,  the  White  Lion,  and  the 
Wild  Savage  took  the  lead;  and  the  latter  was  the 

17 


258  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

favorite  of  those  who  could  pay  well  in  1368.  Other 
hotels  are  mentioned  in  the  books  of  the  Procuratie  of 
St.  Mark;  and  ever  after  1280,  perhaps  earlier,  it  was 
the  duty  of  the  police  to  see  that  clean  beds,  sheets,  and 
coverlets  were  provided  in  hotels,  and  all  necessary  com- 
forts furnished  to  travellers. 

The  government  was  constantly  adopting  measures 
against  epidemics,  and  in  1423  the  first  lazaretto  was 
established.  A  Board  of  Health  existed  very  early ;  and 
during  epidemics  in  neighboring  cities  no  meat,  fish,  or 
wine  was  admitted  into  Venice  until  it  had  been  disin- 
fected. The  greatest  care  was  taken  to  supply  wholesome 
water.  All  impurities  were  removed  from  the  streets  and 
canals,  which  last  were  dredged  of  mud  periodically;  and 
even  smoking  chimneys  were  prohibited. 

The  first  hospital  was  established  by  the  will  of 
Orseolo  the  Holy,  in  977;  the  first  infant  asylum,  by 
the  Doge  Marino  Giorgio,  in  1312.  A  surgeon  named 
Gualtieri  established  a  Refuge  for  the  Indigent,  and  a 
Home  for  Aged  or  Disabled  Seamen.  The  Misericordia 
was  endowed  by  Giacomo  Moro  for  poor  women;  and  a 
Magdalen  Asylum  by  Bartolommeo  Verde  at  St.  Christo- 
pher-the-Martyr.  In  1342  the  Foundling,  or  Pietffc,  was 
established,  and  in  1349  there  was  an  Orphan  Asylum  on 
the  Giudecca.  Moreover,  both  the  State  and  individuals 
made  periodical  distributions  of  alms  to  the  poor;  while 
street-begging  was  forbidden,  and  the  Signori  di  Notte 
conveyed  all  mendicants  to  the  hospitals. 

We  must  also  remember  that  while  the  Venetians  took 
and  held  many  prisoners  of  war,  they  made  constant 
efforts  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  these  men.  In  short, 
the  archives  of  Venice  bear  unquestionable  testimony  to 
much  in  the  domestic  policy  of  the  Republic  that  merits 
the  praise  and  is  worthy  the  emulation  of  all  nations  in 
all  ages. 


of  St.  Mark. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

THE  TREASURES  OP   THE  PIAZZA. 

'"PHERE  is  a  world  of  interest  in  the  bronzes,  mosaics, 
J-  and  marbles  of  Venice,  many  of  which  are  in  and 
about  the  Piazza  of  San  Marco.  Perhaps  something 
should  first  be  said  about  this  spot,  already  so  frequently 
mentioned,  and  in  which  the  whole  history  of  Venice 
seems  to  centre ;  but  when  I  think  of  writing  it  the  words 
of  the  double  of  the  Rev.  Frederic  Ingham  occur  to  me 
with  great  force :  "  There  has  been  so  much  said,  and,  on 
the  whole,  so  well  said,  that  I  will  not  occupy  the  time. " 
To  quote  some  of  these  "well-said"  things  seems  far 
the  wisest  course.  Mr.  Howells  says :  — 

"The  Place  of  St.  Mark  is  the  heart  of  Venice,  and  from  this 
beats  new  life  in  every  direction,  through  an  intricate  system  of 
streets  and  canals,  that  bring  it  back  again  to  the  same  centre. 
...  Of  all  the  open  spaces  in  the  city,  that  before  the  Church 
of  St.  Mark  alone  bears  the  name  of  Piazza,  and  the  rest  are 
called  merely  campi,  or  fields.  But  if  the  company  of  the 
noblest  architecture  can  give  honor,  the  Piazza  S.  Marco  merits 
its  distinction,  not  in  Venice  only,  but  in  the  whole  world.  I 
never,  during  three  years,  passed  through  it  in  my  daily  walks, 
without  feeling  as  freshly  as  at  first  the  greatness  of  its  beauty. 

"The  church,  which  the  mighty  bell-tower  and  the  lofty  height 
of  the  palace  lines  make  to  look  low,  is  in  no  wise  humbled  by 
the  contrast,  but  is  like  a  queen  enthroned  amid  upright  rever- 
ence. The  religious  sentiment  is  deeply  appealed  to,  I  think, 
in  the  interior  of  St.  Mark's;  but  if  its  interior  is  heaven's,  its 
exterior,  like  a  good  man's  daily  life,  is  earth's ;  and  it  is  this 


260  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

winning  loveliness  of  earth  that  first  attracts  you  to  it,  and 
when  you  emerge  from  its  portals,  you  emerge  upon  spaces  of 
such  sunny  length  and  breadth,  set  round  with  such  exquisite 
architecture,  that  it  makes  you  glad  to  be  living  in  this  world. 

"  Whatever  could  please,  the  Venetian  seems  to  have  brought 
within  and  made  a  part  of  his  Piazza,  that  it  might  remain  for- 
ever the  city's  supreme  grace;  and  so,  though  there  are  public 
gardens  and  several  pleasant  walks  in  the  city,  the  great  resort 
in  summer  and  winter,  by  day  and  by  night,  is  the  Piazza 
S.  Marco." 

In  his  delightful  "Italy,"  Taine,  after  declaring  Venice 
to  be  the  pearl  of  that  country,  not  equalled  by  anything 
he  has  seen,  says :  — 

"  The  admirable  Piazza,  bordered  with  porticos  and  palaces, 
extends  rectangularly  its  forests  of  columns,  its  Corinthian  capi- 
tals, its  statues,  its  noble  and  varied  arrangement  of  classic 
forms.  At  its  extremity,  half  Gothic,  half  Byzantine,  rises  the 
Basilica,  under  bulbous  domes  and  tapering  belfries,  its  arcades 
festooned  with  figures,  its  porches  laced  with  light  columns,  its 
arches  wainscoted  with  mosaics,  its  pavements  incrusted  with 
colored  marbles,  and  its  cupolas  scintillating  with  gold;  a 
strange  mysterious  sanctuary,  a  sort  of  Christian  mosque  in 
which  cascades  of  light  vacillate  in  ruddy  shadows  like  the 
wings  of  genii  within  the  purple,  metallic  walls  of  subterranean 
abodes.  All  this  teems  with  sparks  and  radiance.  A  few  paces 
off,  bare  and  erect  like  a  ship's  mast,  the  gigantic  Campanile 
towers  in  the  air,  and  announces  to  distant  mariners  the  time- 
honored  royalty  of  Venice.  At  its  base,  closely  pressed  to  it, 
the  delicate  loggetta  of  Sansovino  seems  like  a  flower,  so  many 
statues,  bas-reliefs,  bronzes,  and  marbles,  whatever  is  rich  and 
imaginative  of  living  and  elegant  art,  crowd  around  it  to  adorn 
it.  ... 

"  Like  a  magnificent  diamond  in  a  brilliant  setting,  the  Ducal 
Palace  effaces  the  rest.  .  .  .  Never  has  the  like  architecture 
been  seen ;  all  here  is  novel.  You  feel  yourself  drawn  out  of 
the  conventional :  you  realize  that  outside  of  classic  or  Gothic 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  261 

forms,  which  we  repeat  and  impose  on  ourselves,  there  is  an 
entire  world;  that  human  invention  is  illimitable;  that,  like 
Nature,  it  may  break  all  the  rules,  and  produce  a  perfect  work 
after  a  model  opposed  to  that  to  which  we  are  told  to  conform." 

Ruskin's  words  rush  out,  and  seem  to  tumble  one 
over  the  other  in  their  haste  to  express  his  seething 
thought : — 

"A  multitude  of  pillars  and  white  domes,  clustered  into  a 
long  low  pyramid  of  colored  light;  a  treasure-heap,  it  seems, 
partly  of  gold  and  partly  of  opal  and  mother-of-pearl,  hollowed 
beneath  into  fine  great  vaulted  porches,  ceiled  with  fair  mosaic, 
and  beset  with  sculpture  of  alabaster,  clear  as  amber  and  deli- 
cate as  ivory,  —  sculpture  fantastic  and  involved,  of  palm-leaves 
and  lilies  and  grapes  and  pomegranates,  and  birds  clinging 
and  fluttering  among  the  branches,  all  twined  together  into  an 
endless  network  of  buds  and  plumes ;  and  in  the  midst  of  it  the 
solemn  forms  of  angels,  sceptred,  and  robed  to  the  feet,  and 
leaning  to  each  other  across  the  gates,  their  figures  indistinct 
among  the  gleaming  of  the  golden  ground  through  the  leaves 
beside  them,  interrupted  and  dim,  like  the  morning  light  as  it 
faded  back  among  the  branches  of  Eden,  when  first  its  gates 
were  angel-guarded  long  ago. 

"And  round  the  walls  of  the  porches  there  are  set  pillars  of 
variegated  stones,  jasper  and  porphyry,  and  deep-green  serpen- 
tine spotted  with  flakes  of  snow,  and  marbles  that  half  refuse 
and  half  yield  to  the  sunshine,  Cleopatra-like,  'their  bluest 
veins  to  kiss,'  —  the  shadow,  as  it  steals  back  from  them,  re- 
vealing line  after  line  of  azure  undulation,  as  a  receding  tide 
leaves  the  waved  sand;  their  capitals  rich  with  interwoven 
tracery,  rooted  knots  of  herbage,  and  drifting  leaves  of  acanthus 
and  vine,  and  mystical  signs,  all  beginning  and  ending  in  the 
cross ;  and  above  them,  in  the  broad  archivolts,  a  continuous 
chain  of  language  and  of  life,  — angels,  and  the  signs  of  heaven, 
and  the  labors  of  men,  each  in  its  appointed  season  upon  the 
earth  .  .  .  until  at  last,  as  if  in  ecstasy,  the  crests  of  the  arches 
break  into  a  marble  foam,  and  toss  themselves  far  into  the  blue 


262  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

sky  in  flashes  and  wreaths  of  sculptured  spray,  as  if  the  break- 
ers on  the  Lido  shore  had  been  frost-bound  before  they  fell,  and 
the  sea-nymphs  had  inlaid  them  with  coral  and  amethyst." 

In  comparison  with  the  above,  how  curiously  common- 
place was  Goethe,  with  his  very  practical  queries,  when 
first  he  saw  the  Horses  of  St.  Mark:  "A  glorious  team 
of  horses,  —  I  should  like  to  hear  the  opinion  of  a  good 
judge  of  horse  flesh.  What  seemed  strange  to  me  was 
that,  closely  viewed,  they  appear  heavy,  while  from  the 
piazza  below  they  look  light  as  deer."  To  me  the  mystery 
in  which  they  are  veiled  is  their  chief  attraction.  We 
know  that  the  brave  old  Dandolo  sent  them  from  Constan- 
tinople to  be  one  of  his  most  striking  monuments. 

In  this  temple  porch, 

Old  as  he  was,  so  near  his  hundredth  year, 
And  blind,  —  his  eyes  put  out,  —  did  Dandolo 
Stand  forth,  displaying  on  his  crown  the  cross. 
There  did  he  stand,  erect,  invincible, 
Though  wan  his  cheeks,  and  wet  with  many  tears, 
For  in  his  prayers  he  had  been  weeping  much ; 
And  now  the  pilgrim  and  the  people  wept 
With  admiration,  saying  in  their  hearts, 
"  Surely  those  aged  limbs  have  need  of  rest ! " 
There  did  he  stand,  with  his  old  armor  on, 
Ere,  gonfalon  in  hand,  that  streamed  aloft, 
As  conscious  of  its  glorious  destiny, 
So  soon  to  float  o'er  mosque  and  minaret, 
He  sailed  away,  five  hundred  gallant  ships, 
Their  lofty  sides  hung  with  emblazoned  shields, 
Following  his  track  to  fame.    He  went  to  die ; 
But  of  his  trophies  four  arrived  erelong, 
Snatched  from  destruction,  —  the  four  steeds  divine, 
That  strike  the  ground,  resounding  with  their  feet, 
And  from  their  nostrils  snort  ethereal  flame 
Over  that  very  porch. 

SAMUEL  ROGERS. 

We  know  that  one  of  these  horses  was  transported  on 
the  galley  of  Domenico  Morosini,  and  that  by  some  acci- 
dent a  piece  was  broken  off  of  one  of  its  hind  legs,  which 


Horses  of  St.  Math. 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  263 

fragment  the  Senate  allowed  the  valiant  admiral  to  keep 
as  a  souvenir  of  his  experiences.  He  placed  it  on  a  con- 
sole of  the  faQade  of  his  house  at  St.  Augustine,  where 
Sanuto  saw  it,  as  he  tells  us  in  his  chronicles.  We  know 
of  their  journey  to  Paris  in  1797,  and  of  their  return  in 
1815.  We  know  that  they  weigh  but  a  few  pounds  less 
than  a  ton  each;  but  who  made  them,  and  where  and 
when  ?  We  know  that  it  is  said  that  they  were  treasures 
of  Alexandria,  and  were  carried  to  Borne  by  Augustus 
after  he  defeated  Mark  Antony,  30  B.  c.  But  who  can  tell 
what  Cleopatra  thought  of  them  ?  We  know  that  it  is 
said  that  five  Roman  emperors  placed  them  on  as  many 
triumphal  arches  in  the  Eternal  City,  and  then  Constantino 
took  them  off  to  the  New  Rome  to  grace  his  Hippodrome. 
But  when  all  these  sayings  are  said,  who  knows  ? 

Above  them  is  the  winged  Lion  of  St.  Mark,  that 
had  such  a  curiously  opposite  effect  on  the  minds  of  the 
Venetians  and  those  of  their  enemies,  imparting  his 
traditional  boldness  to  the  former,  and  dissipating  what- 
ever of  that  quality  existed  in  the  latter.  This  lion  is 
ubiquitous  in  Venice,  and  can  be  found  of  almost  any  age 
required;  but  this  one  is  very  modern.  He  is  brave  in 
his  coat  of  gold,  and  the  field  of  azure  sown  with  golden 
stars  which  makes  his  background  is  very  becoming.  He 
rests  one  paw  on  the  open  book  to  emphasize  the  words 
"Pax  tibi  Marce  Evagelista  meus. "  Above  him  towers 
the  statue  of  that  saint  whose  symbol  he  is,  the  lion- 
hearted  Mark, —  the  saint  whose  crumbling  bones  below, 
in  the  great  Basilica,  seem  by  some  subtle  spell  to  have 
made  invincible  the  hearts  and  arms  of  those  who  look  to 
him  as  their  protecting  guardian. 

Rising  from  the  pavement  below,  and  towering  far 
above  the  Bronze  Horses,  are  the  three  cedar  pili  (flag- 
staffs),  from  which  in  the  old  days  floated  the  banners 
of  Cyprus,  Candia,  and  the  Morea,  ever  recalling  to  the 


264  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Venetians  the  glorious  victories  they  had  gained.  On 
Sundays  and  festivals  the  Italian  colors  are  now  seen  on 
these  masts,  rising  from  the  same  magnificent  bronze 
pedestals  which  have  held  them  almost  four  hundred 
years,  and  which,  according  to  ancient  pictures,  must 
have  replaced  still  older  ones.  These  were  given  by 
Paolo  Barbo  in  1501  and  by  the  Doge  Leonardo  Loredano 
in  1505,  and  were  all  the  work  of  Alessandro  Leopardo. 
If  the  graceful  tritons  and  sirens  chiselled  there  could 
speak,  how  many  questions  we  should  like  to  ask  them ! 

But  alas !  the  only  bronzes  of  the  Piazza  that  give  any 
sign  of  life  are  the  two  Moors  on  the  top  of  the  Torre 
dell'  Orologio,  and  they  only  to  strike  the  bell  which  each 
time  reminds  us  that  we  have  one  hour  less  in  Venice. 
There  is  a  story  that  one  of  these  Moors  is  a  murderer, 
but  not  with  malice  aforethought.  A  poor  workman, 
unconscious  of  the  hour,  was  within  the  swing  of  the 
Moor's  hammer,  and  so  was  thrown  to  his  death  below. 

The  azure  and  gold  dial  on  this  tower  gives  much 
information.  The  Italian  hours,  one  to  twenty-four,  the 
quarters  of  the  moon,  and  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac 
are  there.  On  the  upper  story,  above  the  dial,  is  a  gigan- 
tic lion,  with  the  starry  background  which  he  seems  to 
affect,  and  beneath  him  is  a  gilded  statue  of  the  Virgin 
Mary.  During  the  month  of  May,  at  certain  hours,  a 
door  near  her  opens,  and  the  Magi  appear,  pass  before 
her,  salute  her  with  their  crowns,  and  disappear  by 
another  door. 

When  all  this  happens  at  a  quiet  midnight  hour,  when 
the  weird  moonlight  leaves  much  in  shadow,  bringing  out 
only  the  most  prominent  objects,  as  the  Moors  and  the 
Magi  come  to  life,  one  involuntarily  looks  around,  expect- 
ing to  see  the  lion  between  the  Clock  Tower  and  the 
church  shake  his  mane  and  come  down  from  his  block,  to 
hear  the  horses  neigh,  and  to  behold  a  long  line  of  saints 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  265 

and  angels  who  have  left  their  dizzy  heights  to  walk 
around  the  square  in  grand  procession. 

There  are  few  objects  in  all  Venice  which  have  a 
greater  variety  of  interesting  associations  than  the  Cam- 
panile, which  so  dominates  the  city  and  the  surrounding 
sea  that  from  its  summit  the  fleets  that  have  sailed  away 
for  war  and  for  the  pursuits  of  peace  have  been  watched 
for  many  centuries,  and  followed  by  prayers  and  blessings 
until  lost  in  the  dim  distance. 

From  this  same  height,  what  anxious  eyes  have  been 
strained  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  victorious,  home- 
coming galleys!  Or,  in  times  of  need,  as  during  the 
Chioggian  War,  it  was  from  the  Campanile  that  the  wel- 
come aid-bearing  vessels  were  first  seen ;  and  in  all  times 
of  great  events,  for  joy  or  sorrow,  it  was  the  tocsin  of  the 
Campanile  that  called  the  people  to  the  Piazza  to  hear 
the  news  and  take  counsel  for  action.  Nine  hundred  and 
ninety -two  years  has  it  performed  these  offices ;  and  could 
a  diary  have  been  written  of  all  its  experiences,  what 
book  would  be  more  wonderful  ? 

Until  1518  there  hung,  from  a  projecting  beam  half- 
way up  the  tower,  a  wooden  cage,  grated  with  iron  bars, 
in  which  some  criminals  were  placed  to  endure  the 
changes  of  the  weather,  as  well  as  hunger  and  thirst,  so 
long  as  life  should  last ;  for  but  meagre  supplies  of  bread 
and  water  were  let  down  to  the  cage  from  the  top  of  the 
tower.  Perhaps  it  was  the  influence  of  the  golden  angel 
which  crowns  the  Campanile,  and  is  kind  enough  to  turn 
with  every  wind  that  blows,  that  wrought  the  merciful 
reform ;  for  the  cage  was  banished  within  a  few  months 
after  he  assumed  the  most  commanding  position  in  the 
Republic. 

We  are  told  that  in  the  old  days  there  were  four  bells 
rung  from  the  tower  for  different  purposes.  La  mar  an- 
gola sounded  at  dawn  to  call  the  laboring-classes  to  their 


266  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

work;  la  sestamezzana  announced  the  opening  of  the 
official  bureaux ;  la  trottera  called  the  councillors  to  their 
duties ;  and  the  bell  del  malefizio  was  the  knell  that  tolled 
during  executions.  About  1670  a  fifth  great  bell  was 
brought  from  Candia,  which  was  heard  only  on  Ascension 
Day,  when  the  Doge  espoused  the  Adriatic. 

All  lovers  of  Venice  can  sympathize  with  Arthur  Hugh 
Clough,  and  will  remember  with  delight  the  view  from 
the  Campanile,  when  for  the  first  time  the  intricacies  of 
this  charming  labyrinth  can  be  unravelled,  — 

"  My  mind  is  in  her  rest ;  my  heart  at  home 
In  all  around ;  my  soul  secure  in  place, 
And  the  vext  needle  perfect  to  her  poles.  ' 
Aimless  and  hopeless  in  my  life,  I  seemed 
To  thread  the  winding  byways  of  the  town 
Bewildered,  baffled,  hurried  hence  and  thence, 
All  at  cross  purpose  ever  with  myself, 
Unknowing  whence  or  whither.    Then,  at  once, 
At  a  step,  I  crown  the  Campanile's  top, 
And  view  all  mapped  below;  islands,  lagoon, 
An  hundred  steeples,  and  a  myriad  roofs, 
The  fruitful  champaign,  and  the  cloud-capt  Alps, 
And  the  broad  Adriatic." 

During  the  Crusades,  in  the  cities  of  the  East  -where 
the  Christians  were  in  power,  it  was  customary  to  assign 
to  each  nation  that  had  aided  in  the  conquest  a  quarter 
in  which  they  could  live  and  worship  in  their  own  church. 
But  at  St.  Jean  d'Acre  it  happened  that  the  Venetians 
and  Genoese,  enemies  as  they  were,  used  the  Church  of 
St.  Sabbas  in  common.  As  might  have  been  foreseen, 
quarrels  arose,  and  both  claimed  the  building  as  exclu- 
sively their  own.  So  fierce  did  the  troubles  become  that 
at  length  the  Genoese  burned  the  church,  with  other  build- 
ings of  the  Venetian  quarter.  Such  an  insult  could  not 
be  borne,  and  under  Lorenzo  Tiepolo  the  Venetians  com- 
pletely defeated  the  Genoese.  In  proof  of  the  complete 
triumph  of  the  Republic,  two  richly  sculptured  pillars,  a 


Campanile  of  St.  Mark. 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  267 

part  of  the  gateway  of  St.  Sabbas,  and  a  low  column  of 
red  porphyry  were  sent  to  Venice.  Naturally  these  were 
placed  in  the  beloved  Piazza ;  and  the  Senate  decreed  that 
the  pillars  should  stand  between  the  church  and  the 
Ducal  Palace,  at  the  inner  entrance  to  the  Piazzetta.  The 
short  column  near  by,  at  the  southwest  corner  of  San 
Marco,  was  put  to  good  use,  and  called  the  "Pietra  del 
Bando."  From  it  the  laws  of  the  Republic,  the  sen- 
tences of  banishment,  and  other  important  decrees  were 
promulgated. 

But  the  most  interesting  columns  stand  at  the  opposite 
end  of  the  Piazzetta,  at  the  entrance  from  the  lagoon.  So 
typical  were  they  of  the  spirit  of  Venice  that  they  were 
duplicated  in  other  cities  under  her  sway.  On  one  is  a 
statue  of  that  young  Syrian  warrior  who  stood  the  early 
Venetians  in  good  stead  as  their  patron  saint,  and  still 
stands  there  upon  the  crocodile,  at  the  chief  entrance  to 
the  city,  crowned  by  a  nimbus,  holding  a  shield  on  his 
right  arm,  and  a  sword  in  his  left  hand. 

Opposite  St.  Theodore,  on  the  second  column,  is  one  of 
the  many  lions  of  St.  Mark,  with  the  open  book.  This 
one,  alas !  was  desecrated  by  the  French,  and  the  gospel 
words  replaced  by  the  legend  "Droits  de  1'Homme  et  du 
Citoyen,"  which  caused  a  witty  gondolier  to  say  that 
"  Saint  Mark  had  turned  over  a  new  leaf. "  This  lion 
made  a  part  of  the  brazen  menagerie  that  went  to  Paris  in 
1797,  and  returned  to  Venice  in  1815.  During  his  stay 
there  he  was  appropriately  lodged  in  the  Invalides,  no 
doubt  suffering  keenly  the  pains  of  dislocation.  We  must 
not  forget  that  the  Columns  themselves  have  an  interesting 
history.  They  form  a  sort  of  open  door  to  the  Piazzetta 
from  the  Molo,  and  are  the  first  objects  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  stranger  who  enters  Venice  from  the  sea. 
These  two  and  another  were  brought  from  the  islands  of 
the  Archipelago  in  1127.  One  sank  entirely  out  of  sight, 


268  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

and  has  never  been  found,  and  these  two  lay  on  the 
shore  a  half-century  before  any  one  succeeded  in  raising 
them.  But  when  the  Doge  Sebastiano  Ziani  promised 
any  grazia  onesta  that  might  be  asked  by  any  man  who 
could  erect  them  on  the  Piazzetta,  Niccold  il  Barattiere 
(Nick  the  Blackleg)  placed  them  on  their  pedestals,  and 
demanded  that  gambling,  which  was  forbidden  elsewhere 
in  Venice,  might  be  carried  on  between  the  pillars.  For 
some  time  this  privilege  brought  wealth  to  the  family 
Barattiere,  and  ruin  to  so  many  others  that  the  Senate 
resorted  to  a  cunning  device  to  render  the  promise  of  the 
Doge  of  no  effect.  It  was  decreed  that  all  public  execu- 
tions should  occur  " between  the  Columns,"  which  made 
the  place  of  such  ill  omen  that  no  one  could  be  enticed 
to  come  there  for  any  "  chance  "  that  could  be  offered. 

As  the  criminals  mounted  the  scaffold,  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  turn  and  look  at  a  Byzantine  Madonna,  high  on 
the  wall  of  San  Marco,  and  repeat  the  Salve  Regina.  A 
lamp  burns  before  this  Madonna  at  night  to  commemorate 
the  remorse  of  the  Ten  for  having  unjustly  executed 
Giovanni  Grassi  in  1611.  Ten  years  later  the  truth  was 
known;  a  pardon  was  published,  and  this  Madonna  set 
up  in  remembrance  of  Grassi,  and  as  a  warning  against 
hasty  and  unjust  judgments. 

The  Piazzetta  has  well  been  called  the  antechamber  of 
the  Piazza.  It  is  the  chief  resort  of  the  gondoliers ;  and 
at  all  hours  of  the  day  there  is  a  procession  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  carrying  water  from  the  Ducal 
Palace, — the  best  water  in  all  Venice.  The  two  splen- 
did bronze  cisterns  from  which  the  water  is  taken  are 
more  than  three  centuries  old ;  and  besides  the  debt  due 
them  for  good  water,  an  almost  equal  one  is  owing  them 
as  the  centre  of  the  picturesqueness  by  which  they  are 
daily  surrounded. 

Entering  by  the  splendid  Porta  della  Carta,  one  sees 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  269 

these  cisterns  in  the  midst  of  the  great  inner  court,  the 
four  fa9ades  of  which  are  covered  with  reliefs  and  figures 
that  symbolize  Christianity  and  mythology  with  appar- 
ently equal  approbation.  Mars  and  Neptune  seem  quite 
at  ease  in  the  society  of  Adam  and  Eve ;  and  such  a  wilder- 
ness of  boughs  and  plants,  of  blossoms  and  vines,  and 
such  numbers  of  griffins,  fawns,  and  goats  as  can  rarely 
be  seen  with  a  coup  d'ceil  make  a  bewildering  wrhole 
which  may  well  be  studied  in  detail.  But  great  powers 
of  concentration  are  needed  if  much  of  this  is  not  forgot- 
ten while  observing  the  moving,  living  actors  in  the  scene 
around  these  wells. 

The  water-bearers  come  and  go,  carrying  vessels  of  all 
sizes,  forms,  and  colors.  Some  who  are  strong  and  seem 
to  be  in  haste  quickly  fill  their  cans  and  jars,  and  go 
away.  Others,  more  at  leisure,  put  down  their  burdens 
and  stay  to  tell  and  hear  the  gossip  of  the  day.  The 
variety  of  faces,  young  and  old,  of  dress  and  manners, 
and  especially  of  gestures,  is  most  remarkable.  The  two 
distinctive  charms  of  this  court,  the  artistic  past  and  the 
picturesque  present,  make  it  always  fascinating,  no  mat- 
ter how  often  seen;  and  if  one  would  here  study  Rizzo 
and  Sansovino,  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  shut  the  eyes 
and  think  of  what  is  to  be  done,  or  the  human  nature  of 
to-day  will  prove  itself  far  more  absorbing  than  the 
sculpture  of  the  past. 

But  the  treasure-house  of  rare  and  precious  antiques  in 
Venice  is  the  Basilica  of  San  Marco.  On  the  exterior, 
besides  the  Bronze  Horses,  there  are  numerous  fragments 
from  more  ancient  edifices  which  bear  witness  to  the  good 
taste  and  the  acquisitiveness  of  the  old  Venetians.  Within 
and  without  are  more  than  five  hundred  pillars  of  rare 
marbles,  mostly  Oriental.  During  the  building  of  the 
Basilica  all  Venetian  vessels  that  sailed  to  the  East  were 
obliged  to  bring  back  a  contribution  to  San  Marco.  Many 


270  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

of  the  pillars  in  the  facade  have  Armenian  and  Syriac 
inscriptions,  having  once  adorned  older  edifices;  and 
tablets  with  ancient  sculptures,  of  which  no  history  can 
be  given,  are  inserted  in  the  walls.  Of  the  three  doors 
which  open  from  the  vestibule  into  the  church,  that  on 
the  right  is  believed  to  have  been  taken  from  St.  Sophia, 
in  1203;  and  the  eight  marble  columns  on  each  side  this 
entrance  came  from  the  same  temple.  An  ancient  Greek 
altar,  with  bas-reliefs  of  dolphins  and  children,  supports 
the  basin  for  holy  water;  and  within  the  baptistery  the 
mass  of  granite  which  forms  the  altar  is  said  to  be  the 
stone  on  which  Christ  stood  when  he  preached  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Tyre,  or,  as  another  tradition  says,  upon  which  he 
rested  by  the  gate  of  Tyre,  whence  it  was  brought  to 
Venice  in  1126  by  the  Doge  Domenico  Michieli. 

The  Pala  d'  Oro  is  a  remarkable  specimen  of  Byzantine 
art.  It  is  only  seen  on  high  festival  days,  when  the  can- 
dles are  lighted  in  front  of  the  high  altar,  in  the  splendid 
candelabra  given  by  the  Doge  Cristoforo  Moro  in  the 
middle  of  the  fifteenth  century. 

This  altar  screen  was 'originally  intended  to  decorate 
the  front  of  the  altar.  It  was  ordered  to  be  made  in 
Constantinople  by  the  Doge  Pietro  Orseolo  in  976,  and 
was  not  brought  to  Venice  until  1105,  when  it  was 
enlarged  and  enriched  by  Venetian  artists,  and  this  pro- 
cess repeated  in  1209  and  1345.  Naturally  the  splendor 
it  has  gained  detracts  from  its  original  value.  It  was 
Byzantine;  it  is  now  also  Gothic  and  Venetian.  The 
inscriptions  are  both  in  Greek  and  Latin;  and,  on  the 
whole,  it  is  inferior  in  workmanship  to  other  specimens 
of  European  gold  and  enamel  work  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
That  portion  which  was  made  in  Constantinople  consists 
of  a  picture  in  enamel  or  gold,  enriched  with  chasing, 
pearls,  cameos,  and  precious  stones.  This  Pala  is  a  fitting 
symbol  of  the  Basilica,  which  is  as  composite  in  its  archi- 


Interior  of  San  Marco;   Entrance  to  tbe  Choir. 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  271 

lecture  and  as  incongruous  in  its  detail  as  it  is  splendid 
and  imposing  as  a  whole. 

The  canopy  above  the  altar  of  the  Holy  Sacrament  is 
supported  by  four  spiral  fluted  pillars,  said  to  have  been 
brought  from  the  Temple  of  Solomon.  The  bronzes  by 
the  Italian  masters,  here  and  there  all  over  the  Basil- 
ica, are  of  great  interest.  They  date  from  the  twelfth 
century,  two  of  the  doors  from  the  vestibule  into  the 
church  having  been  executed  between  1100  and  1112. 
The  five  outer  doors,  made  by  the  Venetian  goldsmith 
Bertuccio,  were  finished  in  1300.  The  bronze  tomb  of 
Cardinal  Zeno  is  a  magnificent  specimen  of  the  art  of 
Lombardo  and  Leopardo  (1505-15).  It  was  decreed  by  the 
Republic  to  be  placed  in  the  chapel  which  the  Cardinal 
had  built.  The  statue  of  the  Cardinal,  surrounded  by 
figures  symbolic  of  his  virtues,  the  lovely  Madonna  della 
Scarpa  (golden  shoe),  with  Saints  Peter  and  John  the 
Baptist,  the  two  lions  in  colored  marbles,  and  the  mosaics 
of  the  twelfth  century,  make  this  chapel  a  wonderful 
treasure-house,  and  a  worthy  tribute  to  one  who  loved  his 
Venice  with  supreme  affection. 

The  Treasury  of  St.  Mark  once  contained  the  finest  col- 
lection of  Byzantine  jewelry  in  the  world;  and  despite 
the  demands  made  on  it  by  the  Republic  in  its  emergen- 
cies, and  the  ravages  of  the  robbers  of  1797,  it  is  still 
rich.  It  contains  interesting  reliquaries,  chalices,  cups, 
and  similar  objects  in  crystal,  Oriental  agate,  gold,  and 
silver,  ornamented  with  enamels  and  precious  stones. 
The  reliquary  containing  a  portion  of  the  True  Cross  was 
given  to  St.  Sophia,  in  1120,  by  the  Empress  Irene. 
Among  the  other  remarkable  relics,  all  of  which  are  in 
rich  and  costly  reliquaries,  are  said  to  be  a  morsel  of  the 
skull  of  Saint  John  the  Baptist  and  a  bone  from  the  arm 
of  Saint  George. 

The  altar  of  the  Virgin  Mary  is  continually  surrounded 


272  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

by  worshippers.  A  picture  of  the  Virgin,  believed  to 
have  been  painted  by  Saint  Luke,  is  there.  It  is  usually 
veiled ;  but  on  certain  festival  days  it  is  taken  into  the 
Piazza,  also  on  occasions  of  plagues  or  other  public  afflic- 
tions, and  there  the  people  flock  to  make  their  prayers 
and  vows. 

But  the  most  distinctive  and  interesting  study  in  this 
Basilica  is  that  of  its  mosaics.  So  numerous  are  they 
that  much  devoted  attention  must  be  given  by  one  who 
would  fully  comprehend  their  order  and  meaning.  Noth- 
ing less  than  Mr.  Ruskin's  exhaustive  treatise  on  them 
is  worthy  to  be  offered  to  an  intelligent  student  of  sym- 
bolism in  art;  and  although  one  derives  great  pleasure 
from  the  more  superficial  knowledge  of  these  works,  Mr. 
Ruskin  speaks  truly  when  he  says  that  an  understand- 
ing of  the  mosaics  changes  the  whole  impression  and 
atmosphere  of  the  Basilica.  Having  shown  that  the 
mosaics  give  an  historical  epitome  of  Christ's  teaching, 
he  says: — 

"And  this  thought  may  dispose  the  reader  to  look  with  some 
change  of  temper  upon  the  gorgeous  building  and  wild  blazonry 
of  that  shrine  of  S.  Mark's.  He  now  perceives  that  it  was  in 
the  hearts  of  the  old  Venetian  people  far  more  than  a  place  of 
worship.  It  was  at  once  a  type  of  the  Redeemed  Church  of 
God  and  a  scroll  for  the  written  word  of  God.  It  was  to  them 
both  an  image  of  the  Bride,  all  glorious  within,  her  clothing  of 
wrought  gold,  and  the  actual  Table  of  the  Law  and  the  Testi- 
mony, written  within  and  without.  And  whether  honored  as 
the  Church  or  as  the  Bible,  was  it  not  fitting  that  neither  the 
gold  nor  the  crystal  should  be  spared  in  the  adornment  of  it; 
that,  as  the  symbol  of  the  Bride,  the  building  of  the  wall 
thereof  should  be  of  jasper,  and  the  foundations  of  it  garnished 
with  all  manner  of  precious  stones;  and  that,  as  the  channel  of 
the  Word,  the  triumphant  utterance  of  the  Psalmist  should  be 
true  of  it,  'I  have  rejoiced  in  the  way  of  thy  testimonies,  as 
much  as  in  all  riches  '?  " 


Torre  dell'  Or ol agio  ;  Cloc  A    / 


THE  TREASURES  OF  THE  PIAZZA.  273 

In  spite  of  the  lavishness  of  gold,  of  red,  and  all  the 
varied  tones  of  marbles,  bronzes,  and  mosaics  with  which 
San  Marco  abounds,  there  are  few  churches  so  severe  and 
profoundly  impressive.  The  mystical  half-light  which 
pervades  it  converts  what  might  be  a  tawdry  blaze  into 
harmonious  poesy  of  color,  full  of  the  sentiment  of  impas- 
sioned religion.  All  of  spiritual  emotion  and  aspiration 
is  here  expressed.  One  forgets  the  detail  and  remem- 
bers the  whole,  loses  the  actual  in  the  ideal,  and  thanks 
God  that  in  this  modern,  bustling,  materialistic  nine- 
teenth century  there  still  exist  "  an  assemblage  of  saints, 
an  infinite  history,  an  entire  legendary  Paradise,"  like 
those  of  San  Marco. 

Again  in  the  Piazza,  and  in  the  midst  of  its  present 
life.  If  it  be  early  morning,  it  is  almost  deserted,  save 
for  the  softly  cooing  and  carefully  stepping  pigeons.  At 
ten  or  eleven  o'clock  it  is  full  of  practical  life.  The  shops 
are  brilliant  with  jewels,  glassware,  beads,  laces,  and 
innumerable  objects  of  use  and  uselessness.  There  are 
many  sellers  and  buyers  of  all  sorts  of  ambulating  mer- 
chandise, —  from  turtles  and  other  shell  fish,  vegetables 
and  fruits,  hardware  and  matches,  to  the  lovely  nosegays 
and  toothsome  caramel.  Gentlemen  are  persecuted  by  per- 
sistent shoeblacks  and  men  who  mysteriously  whisper  of 
Havana  cigars,  while  the  tourists,  with  red  guide-books 
in  hand,  impatiently  wave  off  both  these  intruders,  and 
the  guides  who  offer  their  services,  and  rush  on  to  the 
Basilica  or  Palace,  as  if  they  feared  that  these  wonders 
would  disappear  before  their  eyes.  Oh,  this  wearisome 
hurry !  At  noon  the  energy  of  the  venders  is  somewhat 
subdued,  and  they  are  glad  to  seek  the  shade  of  the 
arcades ;  and  in  the  early  afternoon,  when  all  the  world 
is  taking  its  luncheon  or  its  siesta,  when  the  pavement  is 
burning  beneath  the  sun,  the  Piazza  is  again  almost 
deserted. 

18 


274  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

But  with  the  evening,  from  all  parts  of  the  city,  come 
those  who  wish  to  see  the  world,  to  hear  the  music  of  the 
military  bands,  to  dine  at  the  cafe's,  and  meet  the  friends 
they  are  likely  to  find  there.  And  soon  the  Piazza  is  like 
an  immense  salon,  brilliantly  lighted,  full  of  guests  of 
many  sorts,  from  the  elegantly  dressed  ladies  with  their 
attendant  cavaliers,  to  the  plainly  dressed  traveller  and 
the  unobtrusive  Venetians,  who  come  to  gaze  at  all  who 
throng  their  dear  Piazza.  The  flower-girls,  in  pretty  cos- 
tumes, offer  their  nosegays  with  a  deprecating  air,  which 
is  irresistible.  When  the  band  stops  playing,  strolling 
musicians  sing,  or  play  the  violin  and  harp.  The  bril- 
liant cafe's  are  thronged,  and  hundreds  of  men  and  women, 
who  surround  the  little  tables  in  the  square,  leisurely 
enjoy  their  sorbets,  sip  the  delicious  coffee,  and  smoke  the 
Oriental  tobacco.  It  will  be  midnight,  perhaps  some 
hours  after  that,  when  the  Piazza  is  again  silent,  "  when 
a  bright  sleep  is  on  each  storied  pile,"  when  the  only 
sounds  are  the  soft  lapping  of  the  water  at  the  end  of  the 
Piazzetta  and  the  distant  music  of  some  belated  gondolier 
who  sings,  as  ever,  — 

"  Venite  all'  agile,  Barchetta  mia, 
Santa  Lucia,  Santa  Lucia! " 


CHAPTER  XV. 

GLORY,    HUMILIATION,    FREEDOM. 

ALL  historians  agree  that  the  fifteenth  century  was  the 
period  of  the  greatest  luxury  and  magnificence  of 
Venice.  In  1457  it  seemed  that  the  Republic  would 
inarch  on  to  greater  power  over  a  larger  territory  than 
had  yet  been  held  by  any  one  of  the  North  Italian  States. 
Brescia,  Bergamo,  and  Ravenna  were  securely  hers.  She 
was  attempting  to  cross  the  Adda  to  the  west,  and  to 
encroach  upon  the  Romagna  on  the  south.  Could  there 
have  been  peace  anywhere,  —  at  home  or  abroad,  —  could 
she  have  had  a  respite  in  which  to  think  and  plan  her 
policy,  she  might  have  succeeded  in  becoming  a  powerful 
territorial  State ;  but  no  such  breathing-spell  was  possible. 
All  Italy  was  in  a  ferment.  Each  power  sought  to  lessen 
the  strength  of  its  neighbor.  Political  combinations  were 
made,  apparently  only  to  be  broken.  Everything  was  in 
dire  confusion,  and  Venice  would  have  had  more  than 
she  could  do  to  carry  herself  advantageously  in  her  own 
nation,  when  the  Turks,  by  their  conquest  of  Constanti- 
nople, threatened  her  with  the  death  of  her  commerce, 
which  was  essentially  her  death  as  a  Republic,  since  on 
that  she  depended  for  her  revenue  to  enable  her  to  main- 
tain herself  against  all  enemies  at  home  and  abroad. 

For  sixteen  years  Venice  was  continually  at  war  in  the 
East.  While,  in  fact,  all  Europe  was  vitally  interested 
in  the  outcome  of  this  struggle,  yet  all  Europe  failed  to 
offer  any  aid  to  Venice.  It  was  assumed  that  since  the 


276  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Republic  had  so  largely  profited  by  her  relations  in  the 
Levant,  she  alone  must  bear  the  burden  of  the  struggle. 
In  the  beginning  she  had  promises  of  support,  but  all 
these  failed  her  at  the  outset.  She  spent  men  and  money, 
and  fought  with  her  accustomed  bravery  until  she  had  no 
more  to  give.  Then,  in  1479,  she  made  the  best  terms 
for  peace  that  were  possible,  only  to  be  cursed  for  perfidy 
to  Christianity,  and  to  be  accused  of  cowardly  submission 
to  the  Turks,  in  order  to  use  all  her  strength  to  increase 
her  territory  on  the  mainland  of  Italy. 

Unfortunately  this  accusation  seemed  to  be  well 
founded,  when,  in  1481,  the  Republic  declared  war 
against  Ferrara,  whose  territory  separated  Venice  from 
her  own  dependency  of  Ravenna.  The  Venetians  were 
most  patriotic  in  the  support  of  this  war.  They  wished 
to  reinstate  themselves  in  their  own  good  opinion  after 
all  their  humiliation  in  the  East,  and  with  the  support  of 
the  Pope  all  went  to  their  advantage  in  the  beginning. 
But  soon  Sixtus  IV.  not  only  abandoned  them,  but  placed 
them  under  an  interdict  because  they  did  not  lay  down 
their  arms  at  his  request;  and  in  the  end  the  peace  of 
Bagnolo  was  made  in  1484,  the  Republic  having  gained 
very  little  in  return  for  the  vast  expense  of  1,200,000 
ducats,  great  losses  of  men  and  ships,  and  a  mortification 
of  her  pride  which  vastly  increased  the  bitterness  of  the 
result.  All  these  misfortunes  occurred  at  the  time  when 
travellers  and  chroniclers  who  wrote  of  Venice  failed  to 
find  words  rich  enough  in  their  meaning  to  convey  the 
just  impression  of  the  magnificence  of  the  "  Queen  of  the 
Adriatic, "  —  the  time  of  which  Brown  says :  — 

"And  yet,  while  the  Republic  was  really  hurling  headlong 
to  its  ruin,  the  outward  pomp,  the  glory,  the  splendor  of  Venice 
were  just  beginning  to  attract  the  eyes  of  Europe,  blinding 
many  Venetians  and  all  foreigners  to  the  real  aspect  of  the  situa- 
tion. Venice  was  acquiring  her  reputation  as  the  city  of  mag- 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  277 

nificent  private  life,  the  city  of  ' masks  and  balls  begun  at 
midnight,  burning  ever  to  midday;*  the  city,  too,  of  sfrenata 
lasciva,  the  'Gehenna  of  the  Waters.'  This  is  the  period  when 
her  great  palaces  arose,  in  all  their  pomp  of  balcony  and  pillared 
•windows  and  frescoed  faqades,  along  the  Grand  Canal;  when 
Vivarini,  Carpaccio,  and  Bellini  were  preluding  to  Titian,  Gior- 
gione,  Tintoret;  when  Bessarion  presented  his  priceless  codices 
to  the  Marician  Library;  when  the  colony  of  Greek  Scribes  was 
endeavoring  to  hold  its  own  against  the  new  invention  of  print- 
ing, against  John  of  Speyer's  '  Epistolae  Familiares '  and 
Jenson's  'Ad  Atticum  ; '  when  Aldus,  by  his  brilliant,  ear- 
nest, passionate  scholarship,  and  his  practical  acumen  in  the 
conduct  of  his  press,  began  to  render  the  Greek  classics  the 
common  property  of  mankind. 

"It  would  seem  that  just  as  the  rapid  extension  of  Venice 
on  the  mainland  under  Francesco  Foscari  was  the  blossom  of  all 
her  long  centuries  of  physical  and  constitutional  growth,  so  the 
sudden  artistic  expansion  of  the  later  fifteenth  century  was  the 
flowering  of  Venice  in  the  intellectual  and  emotional  region. 
The  bloom  presaged  decay.  Death  was  already  at  the  roots 
before  the  flower  had  opened  to  its  fullest  splendor." 

Before  the  end  of  this  century  another  event  —  unfortu- 
nate for  Venice,  but  a  blessing  to  all  the  world  besides  — 
was  added  to  the  misfortunes  which  had  followed  her  in 
the  Levant  and  on  the  mainland.  In  1486  Diaz  rounded 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  and  two  years  later,  when  the 
news  of  Vasco  di  Gama's  voyage  was  received,  all  intelli- 
gent Venetians  knew  that  a  fatal  blow  had  fallen  on  their 
commerce.  Its  death  might  be  a  lingering  one,  but  it 
was  sure.  Of  this  Brown  says :  — 

"  A  new  commercial  route  was  opened  to  the  world.  Instead 
of  passing  up  the  Ked  Sea  and  across  the  Isthmus  of  Suez,  or  up 
the  Persian  Gulf  and  through  Asia  Minor,  breaking  bulk  at 
Ormuz  or  at  Suez,  and  being  shipped  again  for  European  des- 
tinations at  Alexandria  or  Aleppo,  all  the  wealth  of  fehe  Indies 
could  now  be  carried  in  unbroken  cargoes  round  the  Cape  of 


278  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Good  Hope,  to  be  discharged  in  the  harbors  of  Holland,  of  the 
Hanseatic  towns,  of  England.  The  Mediterranean  instantly 
ceased  to  be  the  sole  highway  of  communication  between  the 
East  and  West;  the  great  commercial  thoroughfare  was  now 
thrown  outside  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar;  and  Venice,  in  whose 
hands  Mediterranean  traffic  had  become  almost  a  monopoly,  suf- 
fered a  blow  such  as  all  her  struggles  with  Genoa  and  all  the 
victories  of  the  Turks  had  hitherto  failed  to  inflict." 

In  the  Diaries  of  Priuli  we  read  that  on  the  receipt 
of  the  news  of  Di  Gama's  voyage  the  whole  city  was 
astounded;  and  the  wisest  Venetians  agreed  that  never 
before  had  any  information  been  so  deplorable,  nor  could 
any  other  ever  excel  it  in  importance.  Priuli  continues : 

"For  it  is  well  known  that  Venice  reached  her  height  of 
reputation  and  riches  through  her  commerce  alone,  which 
brought  foreigners  to  the  city  in  great  numbers;  and  now  by 
this  new  route  the  spice  cargoes  will  be  taken  straight  to  Lis- 
bon, where  the  Hungarians,  Germans,  Flemish,  and  French  will 
flock  to  buy  them;  they  will  find  the  goods  cheaper  in  Lisbon 
than  they  can  be  in  Venice,  for  before  the  freights  can  reach 
Venice  by  the  old  route,  they  have  to  pay  exorbitant  dues  for 
transit  through  Syria  and  the  lauds  of  the  Soldan  of  Egypt." 

Lisbon  was  soon  the  mart  to  which  all  the  northern 
merchants  resorted ;  and  the  Florentines  profited  by  this 
change  to  the  exclusion  of  the  Venetians,  who  suffered 
from  three  causes.  They  did  not  dare  at  once  to  break 
their  commercial  relations  with  the  Sultan,  who  was,  in 
a  way,  interested  to  defend  Venice  from  the  Turk ;  and, 
moreover,  he  had  in  his  power  the  warehouses  of  the 
Venetians  at  Cairo  and  Alexandria,  filled  with  a  wealth 
of  Eastern  products.  Again,  they  could  not  pass  the 
Straits  of  Gibraltar  without  paying  levies  on  their  ships 
to  Spain;  and  even  if  they  did  this,  the  northern  men 
would  soon  forsake  the  dangers  and  toils  of  crossing  the 


GLORY,   HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  279 

Alps  for  the  less  perilous  and  more  comfortable  voyage  to 
Lisbon. 

This  overwhelming  commercial  misfortune  was  soon 
followed  by  the  culmination  of  events  which  had  been 
threatening  political  perils  to  Venice  ever  since  she  had 
indulged  her  desire  for  possessions  on  Terra  Firma,  as  it 
was  expressed.  The  many  leagues  and  combinations, 
made  apparently  but  to  be  broken,  the  sending  and 
receiving  of  ambassadors,  the  vague  replies  and  dip- 
lomatic avoidance  of  yea  and  nay,  all  resulted  in  the 
League  concluded  at  Cambray  in  1508.  Here  France, 
Spain,  the  Emperor  Maximilian,  the  Pope,  the  Dukes  of 
Ferrara  and  Savoy,  and  the  King  of  Hungary  were  all 
combined  against  the  Republic,  or  against  what  the  pre- 
amble to  the  treaty  called  "the  insatiable  cupidity  of  the 
Venetians  and  their  thirst  for  dominion."  This  is  not 
the  place  to  trace  the  steps,  through  a  quarter  of  a  century 
and  more,  by  which  all  these  powers  and  others  had 
gradually  crushed  the  prestige  of  Venice,  in  Italy,  out- 
side her  own  lagoons,  as  essentially  as  the  Turks  had 
destroyed  her  Levantine  precedence. 

Meantime,  in  all  these  years  of  slow  poison  and  decline, 
few  Venetians  had  recognized  their  danger,  few  had  fore- 
seen the  end.  Men  of  courage  and  devoted  patriotism 
were  not  wanting.  There  was  still  great  individual 
wealth,  and  it  would  have  been  given  to  the  ever-beloved 
Venice  with  cheerful  alacrity;  but  the  complications 
were  so  many,  and  followed  each  other  so  rapidly,  that 
the  government  was  unable  to  hold  itself  clearly  above 
these  circumstances,  and  organize  a  policy  which  should 
reinstate  the  Republic,  even  in  part.  When  in  1499  the 
Grand  Vizier  said  to  the  agent  of  the  Republic,  "You  can 
tell  the  Doge  that  he  has  done  wedding  the  sea ;  it  is  our 
turn  now,"  he  but  told  the  brutal  truth,  as  did  Malipiero 
when,  speaking  of  the  Italian  wars,  he  said,  "  We  shall  have 
to  beg  for  peace  and  restore  all  we  have  acquired. " 


280  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

It  would  seem,  too,  that  a  sort  of  madness  blinded  the 
Venetians  to  their  true  condition.  They  acted  as  if  the 
mines  of  Golconda  were  beneath  their  Piazza,  and  they 
had  but  to  go  in  by  their  private  entrance  and  draw  upon 
inexhaustible  wealth.  After  sixteen  years  of  a  losing 
war  with  the  Turks,  when  the  Ducal  Palace  was  destroyed, 
the  proposal  to  build  a  much  larger  and  more  magnificent 
palace  found  much  favor;  and  at  this  very  time  Venice 
was  impoverished. 

The  League  of  Cambray,  to  put  it  in  a  word,  simply 
divided  among  its  members  all  the  possessions  of  the  Re- 
public outside  the  city  of  Venice  and  its  lagoon  islands. 
France  proceeded  to  carry  out  the  treaty  at  once,  and  was 
so  successful  that  by  the  first  of  June  Sanudo  wrote  in  his 
chronicles  that,  except  the  towns  of  Asola,  Crema,  and 
Pizzighettone  not  a  town  in  Lombardy  remained  to  Venice. 
"All  the  rest  is  lost, — yielded  to  the  French  without 
drawing  sword." 

Venice  prepared  for  a  blockade.  The  French  had 
nearly  fulfilled  all  the  provisions  of  the  League,  and  the 
Venetians  might  well  fear  the  next  steps.  But  the 
remarkable  activity  of  the  French  did  not  altogether 
please  the  Pope,  Julius  II.  He  had  by  their  aid  recovered 
the  territory  of  the  Church,  and  so  felt  no  further  need  of 
their  presence  in  Italy ;  and  before  long  he  deserted  the 
League  and  allied  himself  with  Venice,  and  afterward 
they  were  joined  by  Spain  in  an  alliance  which  the  Pope 
called  "Holy."  This  was  in  1511;  and  after  various 
battles,  which  resulted  in  no  good  to  the  Republic,  she  in 
turn  deserted  the  "Holy  League,"  and  became  the  ally 
of  France  by  the  treaty  of  Blois,  in  1513.  Again  fierce 
battles  were  fought;  again  the  French  retired,  leaving  the 
Venetians  alone.  Cardona,  the  leader  of  the  army  of  the 
Holy  League,  pushed  down  to  the  shores  of  the  lagoon, 
burning  the  Venetian  towns  in  his  progress,  and  even 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  281 

pointing  his  cannon  against  Venice,  and  firing  a  few 
shots. 

But  the  same  lagoons  that  had  defeated  all  her  enemies 
from  the  time  of  the  Huns  still  protected  her.  She  was 
impregnable;  and  Cardona  was  forced  to  retire,  as  the 
Genoese  had  done  long  years  before.  During  1514  the 
Venetian  territory  was  the  scene  of  marching  and  counter- 
marching, with  little  or  no  result;  when  in  1515  Louis 
XII.  died,  and  Francis  I.  at  once  declared  himself  Duke 
of  Milan,  and  so  conducted  his  affairs  in  Italy  that  the 
Peace  of  Brussels,  in  which  Venice  was  included,  was 
signed  in  1516.  This  virtually  ended  the  effects  of  the 
League  of  Cambray,  and  Venice  again  resumed  her  former 
territory  on  the  mainland. 

The  struggles  between  Francis  and  Charles  V.  made 
little  difference  to  the  Republic,  except  that  Charles 
demanded  80,000  ducats,  which  were  paid;  and  in  his  set- 
tlement of  Italy  in  1529  he  left  Venice  with  her  frontier 
where  Carmagnola  had  fixed  it,  on  the  Adda;  there  it 
remained  so  long  as  the  Republic  endured.  She  was  able 
to  congratulate  herself  that  she  was  still  an  independent 
power,  although  enfeebled  beyond  recovery. 

And  now  her  former  strength  was  replaced  by  the  only 
weapon  left  to  her,  diplomacy.  The  Council  of  Ten  and 
the  Three  Inquisitors  became  all-powerful;  while  the 
slightest  alarm  raised  a  panic  of  fear  and  excitement,  and 
secrecy,  vigilance,  silence,  and  mystery  were  relied  on 
to  preserve  her  existence,  which  actually  depended  on 
two  circumstances,  —  first,  her  impregnable  position ;  and 
second,  the  jealousy  between  other  powers,  which  would 
not  permit  any  one  of  them  to  appropriate  her  possessions 
on  Terra  Firma. 

The  Venetian  characteristic  which  proved  to  be  "the 
ruling  passion,  strong  in  death,"  her  love  of  ceremonies 
and  pleasure,  was  in  no  wise  modified  through  all  these 


282  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

troublous  years.  It  would  seem  like  dancing  on  its  own 
grave,  when  at  the  wedding  of  Jacopo  Foscari  the  ambas- 
sadors of  the  members  of  the  League  of  Cambray  were 
entertained  with  magnificent  spectacles,  while  Brescia 
and  Bergamo,  Verona  and  Vicenza  were  in  the  hands  of 
these  very  enemies.  The  gayety  of  the  life  and  the  safety 
of  her  position  made  Venice  a  desirable  asylum  to  those 
who  hated  war.  She  was  the  only  Italian  city  that  had 
never  been  at  the  mercy  of  a  brutal  enemy;  and  many 
came  to  her  for  safety,  as  Petrarch  had  done.  Art  flour- 
ished ;  every  comfort  and  luxury  of  living  could  be  had. 
Great  license  of  conduct  was  allowed;  indeed,  save  com- 
mitting a  political  fault,  a  man  of  wealth  could  do  almost 
anything  he  chose,  as  private  crimes  seemed  to  be  matters 
of  indifference.  In  fact,  Venice  spared  no  pains  to  stand 
before  the  world  as  an  attractive  resort,  a  city  of  pageants 
and  pleasure,  to  which  all  were  made  welcome. 

From  the  Peace  of  Brussels  in  1516  to  the  peace  with 
the  Turks  in  1573  there  is  little  to  record  to  the  glory  of 
the  Republic.  In  the  war  of  the  Valtelline  and  in  that  of 
the  Spanish  succession  she  simply  strove  to  preserve  her 
neutrality,  and  succeeded,  but  at  the  expense  of  having 
her  territory  overrun  by  both  armies  and  submitting  to 
humiliation  in  silence. 

In  1537  a  third  war  broke  out  with  the  Turks,  and  was 
concluded  by  a  peace  in  1540,  which  was  ruinous  to 
Venice  in  the  further  loss  of  territory  in  the  Levant. 
This  treaty  was  made  with  Suleiman  the  Magnificent; 
and  when  at  his  death,  in  1566,  Selim  the  Drunkard 
became  Sultan,  he  at  once  determined  to  seize  on  Cyprus, 
and  demanded  its  surrender  on  the  plea  that  it  was  a 
dependency  of  Mecca.  In  its  weakness  the  Republic 
appealed  for  help  to  the  Pope,  who  promised  that  all 
Europe  should  give  its  support.  But  the  usual  disap- 
pointment was  repeated, — the  assistance  was  meagre, 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  283 

and  the  delay  in  sending  it  was  such  that  although  the 
cities  of  Nicosia  and  Famagosta  made  a  stout  resistance, 
and  the  Venetian  commandants  did  all  that  brave  men 
could  do,  hoping  for  relief  from  day  to  day,  yet  Cyprus 
was  conquered  by  the  Turks  without  a  Venetian  fleet 
coming  within  sight  of  the  island.  The  details  of  the 
defence,  and  of  the  sufferings  of  the  Italians  at  the  hands 
of  the  barbarous  Turks,  are  too  heart-sickening  for 
repetition. 

At  length  the  allied  fleet  of  the  Venetians,  Spaniards, 
and  Papal  forces,  when  all  too  late  to  save  Cyprus, 
encountered  the  Ottoman  fleet  off  Lepanto,  and  a  desper- 
ate battle  for  five  hours  resulted  in  a  splendid  victory  for 
the  allies.  The  Turks  lost  thirty  thousand  men  and  one 
hundred  and  seventeen  galleys,  while  the  Christians  lost 
eight  thousand.  Sebastian  Venier  won  great  renown  for 
himself  and  the  Kepublic;  and  Venice  had  the  supreme 
joy  of  once  again  celebrating  a  victory  and  hearing  a  Te 
Deum  in  San  Marco.  The  Venetians  desired  to  press  on 
at  once  to  Constantinople,  having  a  reasonable  hope,  after 
such  a  defeat,  of  crushing  the  power  of  the  infidel;  but 
the  allies  would  not  consent,  and  Don  John  of  Austria 
took  his  ships  into  winter  quarters.  By  spring  the  Turks 
were  ready  with  a  fleet  of  two  hundred  and  ten  sail. 
Venice  could  not  contend  with  them  alone,  and  in  the  end 
made  a  peace  which,  together  with  Cyprus,  contented  the 
Turk  for  a  time. 

In  1574  Henry  III.  arrived  in  Venice,  on  his  way  from 
Poland  to  France,  and  afforded  the  Venetians  an  excuse 
for  one  of  their  dearly  loved  pageants.  Everything  was 
done  to  make  the  occasion  impressive  and  magnificent. 
His  attendants  were  young  nobles  of  high  rank.  He  was 
received  under  a  triumphal  arch  designed  by  Palladio 
and  painted  by  Veronese  and  Tintoretto.  He  was  lodged 
in  the  Foscari  Palace,  with  the  two  adjoining  palaces  of 


284  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

the  Giustiniani  also  at  his  service.  A  large  platform 
floated  on  the  canal  before  the  palace,  to  accommodate  the 
comedians  by  day  and  the  musicians  at  night.  A  regatta, 
a  banquet  and  ball,  and  other  spectacles  afforded  him 
entertainment;  and  he  left  Venice  as  he  might  have  left 
an  enchanted  island,  intoxicated  with  its  pleasures  and 
beauties. 

It  may  readily  be  seen  that  after  the  peace  with  the 
Turks,  so  different  in  spirit  from  what  the  Venetians  had 
been  accustomed  to,  there  were  constant  difficulties  aris- 
ing between  the  vessels  of  the  two  powers,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  the  Republic  to  prevent  such  acts  on  tin; 
part  of  her  seamen  as  might  give  any  Ottoman  prince  an 
excuse  for  a  declaration  of  war.  But  by  the  payment  of 
indemnities  and  other  pacific  measures  peace  was  main- 
tained during  more  than  seventy  years,  when  the  Sultan 
Ibrahim  determined  to  take  Candia,  the  last  important 
stronghold  of  the  Venetians  in  the  Levant. 

The  Sultan  alleged  that  the  Knights  of  Malta  had  seized 
a  Turkish  vessel  that  was  carrying  pilgrims,  and  had 
then  touched  at  Candia;  and  although  the  Governor  of 
Candia  had  warned  the  Maltese  off,  it  served  the  Sultan 
as  the  excuse  that  he  desired  for  attacking  the  island. 
Well  understanding  this,  Venice  at  once  did  all  in  her 
power  to  garrison  and  provision  Candia,  although  the 
preparations  were  quite  inadequate. 

In  1645  the  Turks  began  a  war  which  endured  nearly 
twenty-five  years,  in  which  time  many  brave  deeds  were 
done,  and  the  true  old  Venetian  spirit  maintained  itself 
in  spite  of  the  greatest  discouragements,  losses,  and  suf- 
ferings. Their  determined  defence  of  Candia  interested 
all  the  world ;  and  more  than  once  succor  was  sent  from 
France,  and  the  solid  ranks  of  the  Mussulmans  were 
impetuously  assaulted  to  no  purpose.  Other  nations  were 
fired  with  admiration  of  the  splendid  resistance  these 


GLORY,   HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  285 

Christians  were  making,  and  determined  to  send  them 
aid,  but  all  too  late.  "The  Republic  was  dying;  but 
dying  gloriously  here  in  the  Levant,  —  the  earliest,  as  it 
was  the  latest,  scene  of  all  her  solid  triumphs. " 

Lazzaro  Mocenigo,  the  brave  commander  of  the  fleet, 
after  many  splendid  deeds,  was  killed  by  the  explosion 
of  his  magazine.  After  an  interval  the  great  Francesco 
Morosini  was  made  admiral.  He  was  the  last  of  the 
Venetian  seamen  to  uphold  the  ancient  fame  of  his  coun- 
try upon  the  seas,  but  it  was  his  sad  fate  to  end  this 
struggle  by  negotiation  instead  of  victory.  The  terms 
were  honorable.  Candia  was  surrendered ;  but  the  guns, 
the  people,  the  sacred  vessels,  and  the  ammunition  were 
removed  to  the  Venetian  fleet,  and  the  roadstead  of  Suda 
remained  to  Venice.  Morosini  also  made  a  peace  between 
the  Republic  and  the  Sultan.  This  was  in  1669,  and 
Venice  was  on  the  brink  of  financial  ruin. 

Sixteen  years  later  Morosini  was  again  in  command 
against  the  Turks,  who  had  threatened  attacks  on  Albania. 
The  Admiral  now  conceived  the  idea  of  reconquering  the 
Morea,  in  which  he  succeeded.  He  bombarded  Athens  in 
1688,  when  one  of  his  bombs  set  fire  to  a  powder  magazine 
within  the  Parthenon,  and  ruined  the  temple.  He  was 
recalled  to  Venice  by  the  news  that  he  had  been  elected 
Doge  in  recognition  of  his  services ;  but  he  soon  returned 
to  the  Morea,  where  matters  were  not  progressing  to  his 
satisfaction.  His  embarkation  in  1693  afforded  almost 
the  last  of  the  great  solemnities  of  the  Republic,  which 
proved  to  be  also  the  last  honor  to  Morosini,  for  he  died 
at  Nauplia  very  soon  after  his  arrival,  worn  out  with  age 
and  long  service  of  Venice. 

The  results  of  his  conquests  were  of  small  account  to 
the  Republic.  She  had  lost  her  power  to  maintain  dis- 
tant provinces ;  and  finally,  in  1718,  all  her  long  struggles 
in  the  Levant  were  ended  by  the  final  resignation  of  her 


286  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

claims  to  the  Morea.  But  she  did  not  forget  to  emblazon 
the  name  of  Francesco  Morosini,  the  hero  of  her  last  con- 
flicts on  that  sea  of  which  she  was  so  long  the  proud 
mistress,  on  the  walls  of  the  Sala  dello  Scrutinio. 

We  have  already  considered  the  Council  of  Ten,  and 
defended  it  against  some  of  the  accusations  which  have 
been  too  frequently  made  against  it.  During  the  first 
two  centuries  of  its  existence  it  became  enormously 
important.  The  State  retained  the  management  of  the 
navy  and  army,  of  finance,  and,  in  a  certain  sense,  of 
diplomacy;  but  all  urgent  or  unusual  business  was  left  to 
the  Ten,  who  could  call  any  case  before  its  court,  could 
make  special  expenditures,  and  could  privately  instruct 
ambassadors,  — extensive  powers,  which  made  it  the 
essential  ruler  of  Venice,  —  and  the  last  two  centuries  and 
a  half  of  the  constitutional  history  of  the  Republic  is 
simply  the  story  of  a  growing  opposition  to  the  power  of 
the  Ten. 

In  the  early  days  of  its  existence,  when  a  difficult 
question  was  before  the  Ten,  that  body  was  accustomed  to 
appeal  to  the  Senate  for  assistance  from  some  of  its  num- 
ber, appointed  to  the  duty.  These  men  formed  what 
came  to  be  known  as  the  Giunta,  or  Zonta;  and  having  but 
a  temporary  connection  with  the  Ten,  they  were  as  likely 
to  disapprove  their  course  as  to  be  content  with  it.  But 
in  1529  this  Zonta  became  a  permanent  body,  and  was 
composed  of  the  most  prominent  members  of  each  of  the 
other  councils  of  the  State.  Thus,  if  the  action  of  the 
Ten  was  questioned,  it  was  defended  by  the  most  powerful 
men  of  the  Republic,  and  more  and  more  was  able  to 
enlarge  its  office  and  increase  its  absolutism. 

The  first  serious  outbreak  against  the  Ten  occurred  when 
that  body  clearly  overstepped  its  province,  and  asked 
the  Doge  Foscari  to  resign.  Legally  such  a  request  must 
come  from  the  vote  of  the  Great  Council,  with  the  advice 


GLORY,   HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  287 

of  the  Ducal  Council.  These  councils  resented  the  action 
of  the  Ten ;  and  its  authority  was  declared  to  be  limited 
to  delicate  and  secret  matters,  which  might  be  submitted 
to  its  consideration.  These  limitations  were  made  in 
1468,  but  were  of  little  effect.  We  find  in  1483  that  it 
was  the  Ten  who  decided  on  the  conduct  of  the  Ferrarese 
war,  and  in  1508  it  was  the  same  power  that  took  up  and 
decided  the  questions  which  resulted  from  the  League  of 
Cambray. 

A  few  years  later  a  new  departure  was  made  by  the 
Ten.  In  1537  they  delegated  a  part  of  their  duties,  the 
care  of  the  public  morals,  to  Esecutori  contra  la  Bestem- 
mia.  This  having  been  allowed,  two  years  later  the 
Three  Inquisitors  of  State  were  created.  The  special 
duty  of  the  Three  was  to  deal  with  treason,  which  seemed 
to  abound,  as  the  state  secrets  were  constantly  communi- 
cated to  the  ambassadors  of  various  countries.  After  the 
League  of  Cambray  took  effect,  the  Venetians  relied 
solely  on  their  diplomacy.  If  this  could  not  be  conducted 
with  secrecy,  their  ship  of  state  was  without  a  rudder; 
and  the  repeated  violation  of  this  secrecy  led  to  the  belief 
that  even  Ten  was  too  large  a  body  to  be  trusted.  The 
Three  Inquisitors  had  all  the  powers  of  the  Ten,  except 
that  they  were  obliged  to  report  their  sentences  to  the 
Great  Council.  They  soon  became  very  objectionable  to 
the  corrupt  nobility,  into  whose  morals  they  had  the  right 
to  inquire ;  and  the  hatred  for  the  Ten,  and  even  more  for 
the  Three,  constantly  increased.  The  first  real  difficulty, 
however,  did  not  occur  until  1582,  when  the  feeling 
developed  into  hostility  between  the  Great  Council  and 
the  Ten,  and  was  never  allayed  during  the  existence  of 
the  Republic. 

The  dread  of  Spain,  of  Spanish  plots  and  Spanish  gold, 
had  almost  paralyzed  the  government  ever  after  Cambray ; 
and  when,  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century, 


288  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Venice  was  involved  in  a  quarrel  with  Paul  V.,  the  Ten 
and  the  Inquisitors  fully  believed  that  the  Pope  would 
employ  the  army  of  Spain  to  reduce  Venice  to  obedience 
to  him.  In  1612  one  of  the  Inquisitors  wrote  in  his 
memoranda:  "Right  piteous  is  our  condition.  Alone  we 
cannot  resist.  Allies  we  have  not,  neither  ready  enough 
nor  warm  enough.  Treaties  we  cannot  construct  upon 
any  terms  which  are  not  ruinous  to  us." 

Six  years  later  all  the  fears  inspired  by  the  Spaniards 
were  justified  when  the  Spanish  conspiracy  was  dis- 
covered. The  Viceroy  of  Naples,  Duke  of  Ossuna,  and 
the  Spanish  ambassador  at  Venice,  Marquis  of  Bedmar, 
were  suspected  of  being  the  chiefs  in  the  plot.  Giacomo 
Pierre  was  at  the  head  of  the  disreputable  company  of 
questionable  characters,  who  were  their  agents,  consist- 
ing of  bravi,  mercenaries,  and  other  broken-down  men 
who  went  frequently  to  the  house  of  the  ambassador. 
Pierre,  however,  betrayed  enough  of  the  plot  to  the 
Venetian  Resident  at  Naples,  Spinelli,  to  cause  him  to 
send  Pierre,  with  his  friends  Regnault  and  Langlade, 
to  Venice.  They  were  there  left  free,  but  constantly 
watched.  Pierre  had  alleged  the  plot  to  be  the  seizure  of 
Venice.  The  boats  of  Ossuna  were  to  enter  the  lagoon  at 
Malamocco,  steal  up  to  the  Piazzetta  by  night,  and  with 
the  aid  of  confederates  already  there  secure  command  of 
the  city.  Ossuna's  fleet  was  certainly  in  the  Adriatic, 
but  it  did  not  approach  Venice. 

At  length,  by  a  counterplot,  a  full  knowledge  of  all 
Pierre's  plans  was  brought  to  the  Doge.  Three  of  the 
conspirators  were  strangled,  and  hanged  by  one  leg  to  the 
gibbet  between  the  Columns.  The  effect  was  magical. 
At  the  sight  of  these  three  bodies,  the  inns  and  lodging- 
houses,  which  had  been  full  of  curious  and  unaccountable 
strangers,  were  immediately  deserted.  Thus  the  Spanish 
conspiracy  came  to  naught ;  but  it  was  soon  suspected  that 


GLORY,   HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  289 

some  of  the  Venetian  nobles  were  selling  information  to 
the  Spaniards,  and  the  discovery  of  the  treason  of  Giam- 
battista  Bragadin  proved  these  suspicions  to  be  correct. 

Bragadin  secured  his  election  to  the  Senate  by  a  fraud, 
and  by  an  ingenious  method  was  selling  to  the  Spanish 
ambassador  the  secrets  of  the  Council  Chamber.  He 
went  to  the  Frari  for  his  devotions,  and  in  a  particular 
faldstool  which  he  used,  he  left  in  writmg  his  communi- 
cation for  the  ambassador,  which  was  taken  away  by  a 
secretary  of  the  embassy.  A  monk,  who  was  somewhat 
surprised  by  the  frequent  devotions  of  Bragadin,  observed 
that  the  secretary  always  came  to  the  church  on  the  same 
day  with  the  Senator.  This  so  aroused  the  curiosity  of 
the  monk  that  he  watched  the  two  worshippers  until  he 
discovered  the  secret,  took  one  of  these  letters  out  of  the 
faldstool  himself,  and  carried  it  to  the  Doge.  Bragadin 
was  hanged  between  the  Columns,  and  the  ambassador  hur- 
riedly returned  to  Spain.  In  these  two  cases  the  conduct 
of  the  Ten  commended  itself  to  all  parties ;  but  unfortu- 
nately a  sad  case  of  another  sort  excited  a  furious  hatred 
of  them  and  of  their  methods. 

In  1609  Antonio  Foscarini,  who  had  been  a  wise  and 
faithful  servant  of  Venice,  was  sent  as  ambassador  to 
England.  He  had  been  there  but  a  short  time  when  it 
was  found  that  the  contents  of  his  despatches  to  Venice 
were  being  given  to  other  foreign  ambassadors  in  Eng- 
land. His  secretary  was  suspected  and  discharged,  his 
place  being  supplied  by  Giulio  Muscorno.  After  a 
time  Muscorno  and  Foscarini  disagreed  seriously;  and 
Muscorno  took  every  means  to  make  it  appear  that  Fos- 
carini was  dishonest,  and  finally,  at  Venice,  declared 
that  the  ambassador  had  himself  sold  the  secrets  of  the 
State.  The  Inquisitors  made  a  long  and  careful  inquiry, 
which  resulted  in  the  acquittal  of  Foscarini  and  the 
imprisonment  of  Muscorno,  in  1618. 

19 


290  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

But  Foscarini,  having  been  once  suspected,  was  care- 
fully watched ;  and  when  Lady  Arundel  of  Wardour,  who 
had  been  his  friend  in  England,  came  to  Venice  for  the 
education  of  her  children,  his  visits  to  her  house,  where 
the  ambassadors  of  different  countries  were  also  fre- 
quently received,  attracted  much  attention.  Girolamo 
Vano,  a  professional  spy,  now  accused  Foscarini  to  the 
Ten.  He  was  arrested  and  tried  for  selling  state  secrets 
by  the  Three  Inquisitors,  who  reported  him  to  the  Ten  as 
guilty,  in  April,  1622.  He  was  condemned,  as  a  traitor, 
to  be  strangled  in  prison  that  night,  and  to  be  hanged  by 
one  leg  between  the  Columns  the  next  morning.  Foscarini 
calmly  dictated  his  will  to  his  jailer,  and  died  with 
fortitude. 

But  it  would  have  been  wiser  in  the  Ten  to  have  buried 
him  privately.  The  public  exposure  of  his  strangled 
corpse  angered  the  nobility,  while  it  also  terrified  them ; 
and  when,  four  months  later,  it  was  proved  that  Foscarini 
had  been  an  innocent  man,  the  rage  against  the  Ten  and 
the  Three  was  fully  justified.  Everything  possible  was 
done  to  repair  the  ghastly  error.  Girolamo  Vano  was 
strangled  in  his  turn.  An  order  was  published  at  home 
and  sent  abroad,  acknowledging  the  fatal  mistake.  The 
body  of  Foscarini  was  exhumed  and  reburied  with  all  the 
pomp  due  a  senator;  but  such  an  exposure  of  the  Ten  abso- 
lutely forbade  confidence  in  them  or  their  methods.  They 
never  recovered  from  its  effect,  and  their  opponents  took 
every  advantage  of  their  grave  and  even  criminal  blunder. 

The  jealousy  of  the  Great  Council  and  the  Senate 
brought  about  a  feeling  of  opposition  to  the  Ten,  which 
was  shared  by  a  large  party  of  the  people ;  and  at  length, 
in  1627,  a  commission  was  appointed  to  revise  the  laws  by 
which  the  Ten  were  governed.  From  time  to  time  the 
hostility  to  the  Ten  and  the  Inquisitors  was  fanned  to  a 
brighter  flame,  and  in  the  eighteenth  century  the  opposi- 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  291 

tion  to  them  became  more  active.  In  1761  the  Great 
Council  refused  to  elect  new  members  of  the  Ten ;  and  it 
is  both  sad  and  amusing  that  so  grave  an  act  should  result 
from  a  quarrel  over  a  lady's  caps ! 

A  modiste  had  made  caps  for  a  lady,  and  failed  to  please 
her.  A  second  lady  was  a  friend  of  a  Senator,  Angelo 
Querini,  who,  in  order  to  please  the  friend  of  his  friend, 
procured  an  order  for  the  expulsion  of  the  cap-maker. 
The  modiste  appealed  to  the  Three,  and  they  cancelled  the 
order  for  expulsion,  and  declared  it  unjust.  Querini  then 
began  to  complain  of  the  tyranny  of  the  Inquisitors,  and 
found  much  sympathy  among  the  nobles.  All  this  so 
incensed  the  Three  that  they  resolved  to  arrest  Querini 
and  exile  him  at  Verona ;  and  this  folly  gave  the  Great 
Council  its  opportunity  to  declare  its  hostility  to  the  Ten 
and  the  Three,  and  to  refuse  to  perpetuate  these  offices. 

An  examination  into  the  affairs  of  the  Ten  and  the 
Inquisitors  resulted  in  their  triumph;  but  there  was  a 
revolutionary  spirit  in  Venice  which  was  rapidly  grow- 
ing. An  order  was  issued  closing  cafe's  and  wine-shops 
at  dark,  and  forbidding  political  discussions.  The  fol- 
lowing reply  to  this  was  posted  up:  "The  company  of 
night  thieves  thanks  the  Ten  for  giving  them  the  oppor- 
tunity of  winning  their  supper  at  a  reasonable  hour." 
The  chief  mouthpiece  of  the  liberal  party  was  Giorgio 
Pisani,  and  he  was  bold  in  the  declaration  of  his  opin- 
ions ;  but  the  Three  were  too  powerful  as  yet  to  permit  the 
theories  of  the  Republicans  to  be  thus  freely  expressed, 
and  Pisani  was  deported  to  Verona  in  1780.  In  that  year 
the  Doge  Paolo  Renier  said:  "If  there  be  any  State  in 
the  world  which  absolutely  requires  concord  at  home,  it 
is  ours.  We  have  no  forces,  either  on  land  or  on  sea. 
We  have  no  alliances.  We  live  by  luck,  by  accident,  and 
solely  dependent  upon  the  conception  of  Venetian  pru- 
dence which  others  entertain  about  us. " 


292  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

i 

"  How  are  the  mighty  fallen ! "  What  would  Sebastiano 
Ziani,  Enrico  Dandolo,  Pietro  Gradenigo,  and  many 
another  Doge  have  thought  of  such  a  fate  as  this  for  the 
Venice  of  their  love  and  pride  ? 

The  time  was  soon  to  come  when  another  Doge,  deposed 
by  a  resolution  of  the  Great  Council,  should  give  the 
beretta  to  his  servant,  — we  may  believe  with  a  sense  of 
relief,  —  and  say,  "  Take  it  away ;  we  shall  not  use  it  any 
more. "  Napoleon  had  come  to  relieve  him  of  his  cares ; 
and  we  cannot  doubt  that  he  was  half  welcome  to  those 
who  were  so  weary  of  the  rule  of  the  Ten  and  the  Three, 
the  party  who  believed  in  revolution.  The  efforts  made 
to  keep  the  Republic  alive  were  so  feeble  as  to  seem 
ridiculous.  But  what  could  be  done  without  an  army, 
without  a  navy,  and  without  money  ?  A  deputation  was 
sent  to  Napoleon,  and  his  reply  was  sufficiently  clear  and 
comprehensive :  "  I  have  eighty  thousand  men  and  twenty 
gunboats.  I  will  have  no  more  Inquisitors,  no  more 
Senate.  I  will  be  an  Attila  for  Venice." 

On  May  3,  1797,  Bonaparte  issued  his  proclamation: 
"The  Commander-in-Chief  requires  the  French  minister 
to  leave  Venice ;  orders  the  several  agents  of  the  Republic 
of  Venice  to  leave  Lombardy  and  the  Venetian  Terra 
Firma  within  twenty -four  hours !  He  orders  the  different 
generals  of  divisions  to  treat  the  Venetian  troops  as 
enemies,  and  to  destroy  the  Lion  of  Saint  Mark  in  all  the 
towns  of  the  Terra  Firma." 

The  whole  government  —  Doge,  Senate,  the  Ten,  and  the 
Three  —  seemed  to  vanish  into  oblivion.  The  great  Vene- 
tian Republic  fell  without  a  sound.  Eight  days  after  the 
manifesto  the  tricolor  waved  above  the  Piazza,  a  popu- 
lar constitution  was  declared,  and  a  provisional  govern- 
ment established.  The  Venetian  fleet  was  manned  and 
sent  to  Toulon.  The  French  took  possession  of  Corfu; 
and  Venice  was  wholly  in  the  power  of  France,  to  be  dis- 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,   FREEDOM.  293 

posed  of  as  might  suit  the  will  or  the  need  of  that  nation. 
And  the  need  soon  came;  for  when,  after  a  summer  of 
fruitless  negotiation  with  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  the 
snow  appeared  on  the  mountains,  Napoleon  decided  to 
make  peace.  He  would  not  risk  a  winter  campaign,  and 
said  to  Bourrienne,  "Venice  shall  be  exchanged  for  the 
boundary  of  the  Rhine,  and  thus  be  made  to  pay  for  the 
war. " 

The  treaty  was  signed  at  Campo  Formio  on  the  17th  of 
October.  The  ex-Doge,  Lodovico  Manin,  when  taking  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  Austria,  sank  insensible  on  the 
ground,  and  lived  but  a  few  days  afterward.  Thus  he 
was  spared  the  second  humiliation  of  Venice,  when,  in 
January,  1798,  the  tricolor  was  replaced  by  the  double- 
headed  eagle,  and  the  days  of  its  captivity  and  oppression 
began. 

Venice  seemed  now  to  be  a  make-weight  to  be  used  in 
Napoleonic  treaties ;  and  in  1805,  at  Presburg,  the  king- 
dom of  Italy  was  ceded  to  its  first  conqueror,  and  Venice 
came  within  the  government  of  the  French  Viceroy, 
Eugene  Beauharnais.  During  ten  years  northern  Italy, 
while  not  independent,  was  awake.  New  and  broader 
ideas  replaced  the  older  theories;  and  the  hearts  of  the 
people  were  filled  with  aspirations  and  hopes  that  were 
all  blasted  by  the  so-called  Restoration  of  1815,  which 
confirmed  a  reign  of  tyranny  in  Venice.  An  Austrian 
Archduke,  under  Metternich,  acted  as  Viceroy;  and  a 
system  of  secret  courts,  police  spies,  barbarous  punish- 
ments, and  oppressive  taxation  was  inaugurated. 

Under  the  French  rule  Italian  soldiers  remained  at 
home,  or  won  honors  in  the  wars.  Under  the  Austrians 
they  were  sent  beyond  the  Alps,  and  the  white-coated 
foreign  troops  held  the  Venetians  as  in  a  prison.  The 
civil  offices  were  filled  by  Germans,  whose  harsh  gutturals 
conveyed  no  meaning,  and  inspired  dislike  in  the  soft- 


294  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

speaking  Venetians,  who  were  in  turn  incomprehensible 
to  these  officials.  The  simplest  matters  were  laboriously 
referred  to  the  Aulic  Council  at  Vienna.  Letters  were 
not  safe,  since  the  spies  opened  them.  No  redress  could 
be  had  through  the  press,  which  was  gagged.  The  pil- 
lory, flogging,  and  other  equally  barbarous  customs  were 
revived ;  and,  in  short,  no  method  was  spared  that  could 
impress  on  the  Venetians  the  thought  that  they  were  liv- 
ing and  breathing  by  the  permission  and  according  to  the 
will  of  a  cruel  tyrant.  To  quote  from  "The  Dawn  of 
Italian  Independence,"  by  W.  R.  Thayer:  — 

"The  Italian  must  obey  laws  imposed  upon  him  by  a  for- 
eigner, —  laws  which  had  been  framed  without  his  voice,  ,for  the 
benefit  of  a  master  who  dwelt  at  Vienna.  Were  a  law  good,  he 
hated  it  because  it  was  a  cog  in  the  great  wheel  of  tyranny;  were 
it  bad,  he  hated  it  because  it  threatened  directly  his  property,  his 
freedom,  or  his  life.  Napoleon's  rule  had  been  despotic,  but  it 
had  been  despotic  on  a  grand  scale;  he  had  conquered  by  force; 
he  had  opened  avenues  to  glory;  he  had  awakened  a  virile  spirit, 
and  shed  round  him  large  and  stirring  ideas :  but  these  Aus- 
trians  had  sneaked  into  their  supremacy;  they  were  arrogant  and 
conceited;  their  emperor  was  bigoted,  petty,  and  unyielding;  a 
man  who  depended  on  eavesdroppers  and  tricksters  for  his  in- 
formation; a  man  who  had  not  a  single  heroic  attribute,  nor 
uttered,  during  the  course  of  a  long  life,  a  single  thought 
whereby  mankind  was  made  stronger  or  wiser;  a  martinet,  only 
fitted  to  be  the  superintendent  of  a  small  reformatory  school  for 
juvenile  criminals.  So  to  the  Italians  the  contrast  between  the 
recent  French  rule  and  the  present  Austrian  was  typified  by  the 
contrast  between  Napoleon  and  Francis;  but  the  incompatibility 
between  the  two  peoples  had  the  deepest  source,  —  it  sprang 
from  racial  antipathy." 

When,  in  1848,  Metternich  was  driven  from  Vienna, 
and  the  Austrians  from  Milan,  the  Venetians  also  were 
ready  to  demand  and  to  conquer  their  liberty.  Manin, 
who  had  been  imprisoned  a  few  weeks  before,  was  released, 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  295 

upon  an  order  from  the  governor,  who  dared  not  refuse  it. 
A  few  days  later  he  agreed  to  withdraw  with  all  foreign 
soldiers,  leaving  the  munitions  and  public  treasure  behind. 
The  Venetian  Republic,  with  Manin  as  President,  was  at 
once  declared  in  the  Piazza;  the  Italian  tricolor  again 
streamed  from  the  three  masts  before  the  cathedral, 
and  without  fighting  or  bloodshed  Venice  was  free. 
Her  oppressors  departed;  her  flag  waved  over  her  bor- 
ders on  the  south  and  west.  Her  independence  was  rec- 
ognized by  the  Consul  of  the  United  States ;  and  all  the 
people,  with  one  accord,  assembled  in  San  Marco  to 
thank  God  and  their  glorious  saint  that  again  Venice  was 
a  Republic. 

The  Republic  was  declared  on  the  22d  of  March,  1848, 
and  on  the  18th  of  June  the  Austrians  began  to  draw 
trenches  round  Mestre,  thus  cutting  off  communication 
between  the  mainland  and  Venice.  The  National  Assem- 
bly did  not  meet  until  July  3,  when,  after  attending  Mass 
in  the  cathedral,  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  deputies 
ascended  the  Giants'  Staircase,  and  entered  the  Hall  of 
the  Great  Council.  It  was  a  remarkable  gathering,  and 
momentous  consequences  hung  upon  its  decisions.  Thayer 


"  If  ever  the  monuments  of  a  splendid  Past  might  inspire 
men  of  a  later  generation  \vith  a  sense,  a  hallowing  sense, 
of  the  glory  and  dignity  of  which  those  monuments  were  the 
products  and  witnesses,  it  would  be  in  that  Hall  of  the  Great 
Council,  when  those  representatives  of  free  Venice  met  there  to 
determine  her  fate.  Let  a  deputy  look  where  he  would,  he  sa\v 
reminders  of  the  strength  and  beauty  of  the  State  which  his 
ancestors  had  raised  to  a  unique  position  among  the  nations  of 
the  world.  Venice,  though  built  on  the  shifting  mud  where 
sea-gulls  made  their  nests,  yet  had,  through  the  indomitable 
courage  of  her  sons,  a  foundation  more  permanent  than  that  of 
rock-born  cities;  she  counted  her  life,  not  by  decades  nor  by 


296  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

generations,  but  by  ages,  she  had  been  strong  when  her  neigh- 
bors were  weak;  she  had  been  civilized  when  Paris  and  London 
were  but  half-barbarous  settlements,  and  the  site  of  Berlin  was 
a  morass;  in  her  great  days  she  had  bowed  neither  to  pope  nor 
to  emperor;  and  she  had  ever  been  so  surpassingly  beautiful, 
floating  there  on  the  Adriatic  for  fourteen  hundred  years,  as 
delicate  and  wonderful  as  a  nautilus,  yet  firm  as  marble  and 
stancher  than  the  stanchest  ship.  And  now,  after  fifty  years  of 
servitude,  she  was  again  free,  robed  in  the  glory  of  her  incom- 
parable Past,  and  resolutely  facing  the  strange  world  and  perils 
upon  which  she  had  reawakened.  No  son  of  hers  on  that  3d  of 
July  could  sit  in  the  Great  Hall  and  not  feel  that  his  action 
must  not  only  match  the  solemn  exigencies  of  the  Present,  but 
also  be  worthy  of  the  city  to  which  forty  generations  of  his  an- 
cestors had  consecrated  their  lives,  and  to  which  Dandolo  and 
Morosini,  and  many  another  as  just  and  brave  as  these,  had 
brought  the  offering  of  their  individual  fame." 

The  Assembly,  after  listening  to  all  the  arguments  for 
and  against  the  measure,  voted  to  unite  with  Piedmont, 
and  a  deputation  was  sent  to  announce  this  decision  to 
Charles  Albert.  We  will  not  here  recount  the  unhappy 
failure  of  this  king,  nor  the  armistice  by  which  Piedmont 
was  again  placed  under  the  Austrian  yoke.  It  is  enough 
to  say  that  Venice  was  left  alone,  that  no  help  came 
from  France  or  England;  and  when,  on  March  27,  1849, 
news  of  the  fatal  defeat  of  Charles  Albert  at  Novara  was 
brought  to  the  Venetians,  with  a  summons  to  surrender, 
they  knew  that  they  must  rely  on  themselves  alone.  The 
Assembly  voted  to  resist  Austria  at  any  cost,  and  to  give 
unlimited  power  to  Manin.  A  red  flag  was  unfurled  from 
the  Campanile,  as  a  sign  that  Venice  would  resist  to  the 
death ;  and  a  copy  of  the  vote  was  sent  to  the  Austrians 
without  a  word  of  comment. 

Then  began  the  preparations  for  defence.  The  condi- 
tion of  the  troops  was  discouraging.  There  were  less 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  297 

than  thirty  thousand  men,  and  but  two  hundred  and  fifty 
in  the  engineer  corps.  The  soldiers  had  suffered  for  want 
of  proper  food,  clothing,  and  shelter  all  through  the 
winter,  and  there  was  much  sickness  at  the  forts  in  the 
low,  malarial  places.  But  her  position  gave  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Venice  great  courage.  At  one  point  alone,  the 
newly  completed  railway  bridge,  could  she  be  reached 
from  the  land.  Much,  too,  depended  on  the  defence  of 
the  fortifications  of  Brondolo,  which  overlooked  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Brenta.  To  prevent  a  successful  attack  at 
these  two  points,  and  a  blockade  by  sea,  would  make 
Venice  impregnable,  protected  as  she  was  by  sand-bars, 
marshes,  pools,  and  canals. 

The  Austrians  seemed  in  no  haste;  and  throughout 
April  the  Venetians  were  busy  in  fortifying  Marghera  and 
in  various  defensive  preparations.  They  also  tried  by 
every  argument  and  offer  in  their  power  to  persuade  Eng- 
land and  France  to  come  to  their  aid.  But  on  May  4  the 
attack  on  Venice  began  in  earnest.  As  earnest  was  its 
defence ;  and  the  experience  of  the  next  three  months  and 
more  is  one  that  merits  a  far  more  detailed  and  careful 
history  than  can  be  given  here,  —  such  an  one  as  may  be 
found  in  "  The  Dawn  of  Italian  Independence. "  During 
those  months  the  heroism,  the  patriotism,  and  the  devo- 
tion of  the  Venetians  were  such  as  has  not  been  surpassed. 
They  knew  that  without  aid  from  some  outside  power  they 
must  at  last  succumb,  not  to  the  Austrians,  but  to  famine 
and  disease.  The  aid  never  came.  Both  French  and 
English  men-of-war  lay  in  sight  of  Venice,  beyond  the 
line  of  danger,  watching  the  bombardment  as  they  might 
watch  a  harmless  parade.  They  saw  the  corpse-laden 
boats  passing  and  repassing  to  San  Michele.  In  one 
week  fifteen  hundred  died  of  cholera;  but  when  the 
Venetian  director  of  hospitals  asked  the  French  naval 
commander  for  medicine,  he  replied,  "That  would  be 


298  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

contrary  to  the  Law  of  Nations,  since  it  is  natural  that 
the  besieger  seeks  to  do  as  much  injury  as  possible  to  the 
besieged  "  ! 

Through  all  that  summer  Manin  was  the  soul  of  Venice. 
On  him  devolved  all  responsibility,  and  he  bore  his 
trust  with  absolute  fidelity.  At  length,  when  food  was 
exhausted,  the  wells  dried,  and  the  city  was  being  rapidly 
depopulated  by  famine,  he  capitulated.  On  the  30th  of 
August  Radetzky  found  that  he  had  triumphed  over  a 
pest-ridden,  starving,  dying  city.  Forty  Venetians  had 
been  condemned  to  banishment.  Manin  was  of  the  num- 
ber; and  early  on  the  28th,  followed  by  the  prayers  and 
blessings  of  the  people,  he  sailed  away,  never  to  see  Venice 
again.  But  as  he  looked  back  upon  her  beloved  towers, 
as  she  faded  from  his  sight  forever,  no  foreign  flag  floated 
above  her.  The  kindly  exile  saved  him  from  the  actual 
sight  of  her  dismemberment  by  the  Hapsburg  bird  of 
prey. 

The  enemies  of  Italy  now  believed  that  the  last  hope  of 
Italian  liberty  was  destroyed.  Save  in  Piedmont,  that 
little  kingdom,  no  remnant  of  freedom  could  be  dis- 
covered. The  various  princes  who  ruled,  from  the  Alps 
to  the  Sicilies,  ruled  by  Austrian  permission,  and  main- 
tained themselves  by  Austrian  support.  But  there  were 
those  who  still  hoped,  still  prayed,  still  labored  for  the 
full  liberty  of  all  Italy;  and  among  these  Manin  was 
with  the  foremost.  Garibaldi  never  despaired,  and  even 
the  defeated  and  dying  Charles  Albert  wrote :  — 

"  If  Divine  Providence  has  not  permitted  that  the  regenera- 
tion of  Italy  should  be  accomplished,  I  have  confidence  that  at 
least  it  is  only  deferred;  that  so  many  examples  of  virtue,  so 
many  acts  of  courage  and  generosity,  emanating  from  the  nation, 
will  not  remain  sterile,  and  that  past  adversities  will  only  en- 
gage the  peoples  of  Italy  to  be  another  time  more  united  to  be 
more  invincible." 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  299 

This  prophecy  was  fulfilled.  Venice  was  not  the  scene 
of  the  great  struggle.  It  was  on  the  mainland  that  the 
battles  were  fought,  and  in  other  parts  of  Italy  that  the 
diplomatic  tournaments  were  held.  It  requires  little 
imagination  to  see  with  what  interest  every  action  was 
watched,  how  eagerly  all  news  was  heard  by  the  Vene- 
tians, ground  as  they  were  beneath  the  Austrian  heel ;  and 
when,  after  the  battle  of  Solferino,  in  1859,  from  the 
Campanile  the  fleets  were  visible  off  the  lagoons,  the 
heart  of  Venice  throbbed  with  that  of  all  Italy  in  the  feel- 
ing of  a  national  life  which  was  every  day  growing  stronger 
and  stronger. 

But  the  end  was  not  yet.  The  Peace  of  Villafranca 
brought  the  Venetians  no  release,  and  the  fresh  disap- 
pointment was  hard  to  bear.  They  had  rejoiced  with 
each  success  of  the  allied  Piedmontese  and  French.  They 
had  even  dreamed  dreams,  and  anticipated  choosing  their 
own  ruler  and  being  again  an  independent  people.  They 
longed  to  bring  home  their  dead  Manin,  and  by  their 
respect  to  his  remains  testify  their  love  for  him.  Every 
house  in  Venice  in  an  hour  became  a  house  of  mourning ; 
and  a  feeling  of  utter  desolation,  of  being  deserted,  for- 
gotten, was  like  a  black  pall  over  all.  Even  Milan,  which 
had  so  long  shared  the  fate  of  Venice,  was  now  free. 

The  truth  was  better  than  this.  All  Italy  was  rebel- 
lious at  the  fate  of  Venice ;  and  at  Milan,  least  of  all,  was 
she  forgotten.  No  settlement  was  desired  that  did  not 
give  freedom  to  Venice.  Every  Italian  in  reality  wished 
but  one  thing,  —  a  united,  a  single  Italy.  In  the  new 
Parliament,  in  October,  1860,  Cavour  spoke  of  the  union 
of  Venice  to  the  rest  of  Italy  as  a  fact  that  must  soon  be 
accomplished ;  and  we  have  trustworthy  proof  that  neither 
the  successful  Garibaldi  in  the  quiet  of  Caprera,  nor  the 
king  amid  his  cares  at  Turin,  was  forgetful  of  Venice 
and  Rome.  In  the  midst  of  the  exacting;  duties  of  these 


300  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

days,  when  a  new  government  was  to  be  organized  and 
established,  and  that  government  was  weighed  down  with 
debt,  with  brigandage,  and  with  many  other  evils  of  a 
more  subtle  nature,  which  taxed  the  wisdom  and  forbear- 
ance of  the  king  and  his  ministers,  their  thoughts  were 
often  fixed  upon  the  injustice  to  Venice;  and  the  only 
methods  by  which  she  could  be  freed  —  war  or  negotia- 
tion—  were  discussed  with  untiring  interest,  and  there 
was  constantly  growing  a  determination  to  force  a  solu- 
tion of  the  Venetian  and  Roman  questions. 

However,  it  was  not  until  1866  that  the  real  struggle 
came.  To  the  call  for  soldiers  the  most  satisfactory 
responses  were  made.  They  came  from  all  classes,  from 
the  most  aristocratic  families,  as  well  as  the  middle  and 
lower  classes ;  and  the  Italian  army  soon  numbered  about 
two  hundred  thousand  men.  The  Venetians  had  contrib- 
uted fourteen  thousand  men  before  this;  and  when  the 
call  for  volunteers  was  made,  many  more  succeeded  in 
passing  the  frontier  and  joining  the  army. 

On  the  24th  of  June  the  Austrians  were  triumphant  at 
Custoza;  but  the  Prussian  allies  of  Italy,  on  the  5th  of 
July,  so  defeated  the  Austrians  at  Sadowa,  that  through 
the  French  emperor  an  offer  was  made  to  restore  Venetia 
to  Italy.  The  final  treaty  was  not  concluded  between 
Austria  and  Italy  until  Oct.  3,  1866;  and  meantime, 
in  a  naval  battle  off  Lissa,  the  Italians  had  suffered  a 
most  mortifying  defeat,  under  such  circumstances  as 
deprived  Admiral  Persano  of  his  rank,  and  dismissed  him 
from  the  service. 

Three  days  after  the  treaty  was  signed,  the  troops  of 
Italy  were  received  in  Venice  with  an  enthusiasm  which 
was  only  exceeded  by  that  of  the  reception  of  Victor 
Emmanuel  himself  a  month  later.  Now  acknowledged 
as  King  of  Italy  by  all  other  governments,  with  the  iron 
crown  of  Lombardy  and  the  famous  quadrilateral  peace- 


GLORY,  HUMILIATION,  FREEDOM.  301 

fully  in  his  possession,  he  had  but  one  thing  more  to 
gain,  —  the  submission  of  Rome,  —  before  he  could  pro- 
claim the  unification  of  Italy ;  and  this  was  sure  to  come, 
as  it  did  but  four  years  later. 

In  1873  the  Emperor  of  Austria  invited  the  King  of 
Italy  to  Vienna  on  the  occasion  of  the  Great  Exhibition. 
The  invitation  was  most  courteously  given  and  as  cour- 
teously accepted ;  and  two  years  later  the  Emperor  Francis 
Joseph  proposed  to  return  the  visit  of  Victor  Emmanuel, 
and  suggested  Venice  as  the  city  in  which  they  should 
meet. 

One  must  reflect  for  a  moment  on  the  meaning  of  such 
a  visit  to  Venice.  It  was  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy 
of  Daniele  Manin:  "The  day  will  come  in  which  Italy, 
reconstituted  as  a  nation,  will  be  the  first  friend  of 
Austria."  This  great  patriot  believed  that  freedom  and 
right  must  triumph  over  despotism  and  wrong.  But  one 
month  before  the  visit  of  the  Austrian  Emperor  the  statue 
of  Manin  had  been  inaugurated  with  splendid  ceremonies, 
and  the  most  heartfelt  tributes  to  his  honor  paid  by  the 
Venetians  whom  he  had  served  so  faithfully.  His  remains 
had  been  brought  from  Paris,  in  1868,  and  deposited  in  a 
temporary  tomb  in  the  Cathedral  of  San  Marco,  the  only 
interment  there  for  more  than  three  centuries.  The 
church  of  S.  Paterniano  was  taken  down,  and  the  statue  of 
Manin  erected  on  the  site  near  the  red  house  in  which  he 
had  lived ;  and  the  campo  is  now  called  by  the  name  of 
the  patriot  instead  of  that  of  the  saint. 

It  was  on  the  5th  of  April,  1875,  that  a  procession  of 
gondolas,  all  in  gala  dress,  passed  up  the  Grand  Canal. 
The  most  magnificent  of  all  these  hundreds  of  boats  bore 
the  King  of  Italy  and  his  guest,  the  Emperor  of  Austria 
and  King  of  Hungary.  The  whole  city  demonstrated  its 
good  will  in  every  possible  way ;  and  when  the  two  sover- 
eigns landed  at  the  Piazzetta,  there  was  a  great  demon- 


302  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

stration  of  welcome.  The  bands  played  alternately  the 
national  airs  of  the  two  countries,  and  in  every  possible 
way  the  people  strove  to  express  the  fact  that  the  hostil- 
ity against  Austria  which  had  so  long  reigned  at  Venice, 
was  absolutely  a  thing  of  the  past.  Victor  Emmanuel 
was  so  much  gratified  by  the  conduct  of  the  Venetians  on 
this  occasion  that  he  frequently  referred  to  it  as  a  proof 
of  the  nobility  of  a  people  who  could  so  soon  forget  and 
forgive  all  that  Venice  had  suffered  in  the  long  years  of 
her  bondage  under  the  Austrian  rule. 

From  these  beginnings,  which  we  have  so  cursorily  con- 
sidered, in  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the 
Italy  we  now  know  has  arisen. 


CHAPTER  XVL 

SAINTS    AND    OTHERS. 

IN  the  earliest  days  of  the  Venetian  Republic  a  church 
was  built  on  the  Rialto,  and  dedicated  to  Saint 
James ;  and  when  in  452  the  decree  was  issued  at  Padua 
which  ordered  the  gathering  together  of  the  straggling 
inhabitants  who  had  fled  from  Attila  and  his  Huns,  and 
the  formation  of  a  town  under  the  rule  of  consuls,  it  was 
to  this  notable  warrior  saint  that  these  people  looked  for 
protection.  Tradition  teaches  that  this  earliest  church 
in  Venice  stood  on  a  portion  of  the  land  now  covered  by 
the  Cathedral  of  San  Marco. 

About  a  century  later,  when  already  the  Republic  of 
Venice  was  rising  in  importance  and  esteem,  Narses, 
coming  from  his  victory  over  the  Ostrogoths,  visited  the 
Venetians,  and  built  them  a  new  chapel,  which  he  dedi- 
cated to  Saint  Theodore,  —  a  young  Syrian  soldier  saint, 
much  honored  in  the  Oriental  church.  He  was  apparently 
a  satisfactory  protector,  for  all  went  well  with  the  Vene- 
tians under  his  tutelage.  Their  numbers  and  wealth 
increased  so  that  one  island  was  quite  insufficient  for 
their  habitations,  and  no  one  church  could  suffice  for 
the  growing  state  or  city. 

During  these  important  years  images  of  Saint  Theodore, 
whom  we  have  seen  standing  on  a  column  in  the  Piazzetta, 
opposite  the  lion  of  his  more  fortunate  successor,  were 
cherished  and  worshipped  by  the  people,  who  looked  to 
him  as  their  efficient  patron  and  guardian;  and  with 


304  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

reason,  —  for  if  his  symbols  were  rightly  understood,  his 
saintship  taught  the  Republic  the  wise  policy  of  exerting 
its  strength  for  protection  and  defence  rather  than  for 
invasion  and  assault.  But  the  time  came  when  Saint 
Theodore  was  superseded,  in  spite  of  the  good  services  he 
had  rendered  Venice  during  nearly  three  centuries,  - 
centuries,  too,  when  the  struggle  to  live  and  grow  and 
build  up  the  Republic  taxed  the  heads  and  hands  of  all, 
and  required  an  able  defender  to  watch  over  them. 

There  is  a  legend  that  during  the  first  Crusade,  in  1099, 
when  Vitale  Michieli  was  Doge,  a  flotilla  of  two  hundred 
and  seven  vessels  sailed  from  Venice  in  command  of  the 
son  of  the  Doge,  Giovanni  Michieli,  and  Arrigo  Contarini, 
Bishop  of  Castello,  whose  father  had  been  Doge  about 
twenty  years  before. 

Their  alleged  object  was  to  succor  Godfrey  de  Bouillon ; 
but  they  seem  to  have  been  far  more  successful  as  relic- 
hunters  than  as  Knights  of  the  Cross,  and  brought  back 
rich  treasures  to  the  churches  of  Venice,  among  which 
was  the  body  of  Saint  Theodore,  which  they  found  at  a 
small  town  near  the  city  of  Myra.  It  was  received  with 
joy  at  Venice,  and  deposited  in  the  Church  of  San  Salva- 
tore;  but  as  this  saint  had  already  been  superseded  by 
the  great  Evangelist,  he  seems  to  have  been  left  princi- 
pally to  the  Confraternity  of  San  Teodoro,  whose  scuola 
is  close  to  San  Salvatore. 

In  829  two  Venetian  merchants,  Buono  of  Malamocco 
and  Rustico  of  Torcello,  with  ten  galleys,  were  trading 
clandestinely  in  the  port  of  Alexandria,  just  at  the  time 
when  the  Caliph  of  Egypt  was  building  a  splendid  palace, 
and  for  its  decoration  was  contemplating  denuding  all 
the  Christian  temples  of  their  treasures  and  ornaments. 
Hearing  this,  these  merchants  feared  that  the  Church  of 
St.  Mark,  where  that  Evangelist  was  honorably  reposing, 
would  be  desecrated ;  and  they  determined  if  possible  to 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  305 

rescue  the  sacred  body  and  bear  it  to  Venice.  When  they 
proposed  to  the  Greek  priest  of  the  temple  to  aid  them  in 
their  designs,  he  naturally  refused,  and  represented  to 
them  the  sin  and  danger  of  such  an  act ;  but  their  prom- 
ises of  riches  and  prosperity  at  Venice  overcame  his 
scruples,  and  he  yielded  to  their  wishes.  The  body  of 
Saint  Mark  was  wrapped  in  the  linen  shroud  of  Saint 
Claudia,  and  laid  in  a  deep  basket.  It  was  then  covered 
with  a  thick  layer  of  herbs,  on  which  joints  of  pork  were 
laid.  The  Venetian  seamen  who  carried  the  basket  to  the 
ship  walked  leisurely,  taking  the  precaution  to  cry  out 
Khanzir!  Khanzir!  (pork,  pork),  which  effectually  pre- 
vented any  examination  by  Mussulmans.  When  safely  on 
the  vessel,  the  basket  was  hoisted  into  the  shrouds,  and 
was  thus  safely  borne  away. 

A  tradition  adds  that  during  a  tempest  on  the  voyage 
the  saint  appeared  to  a  priest,  who  was  one  of  the  passen- 
gers, and  commanded  the  sails  to  be  furled.  This  being 
done,  the  ship  next  morning  reached  the  port  of  Olivolor 
while  the  remainder  of  the  fleet  were  scattered  by  the 
furious  storm. 

The  saint  was  welcomed  with  immense  satisfaction,, 
and  his  arrival  was  of  great  importance  to  the  State.  It 
increased  the  courage  and  the  commerce  of  the  Republic. 
Pilgrims  of  all  ranks,  from  crowned  heads  to  the  poorest 
sailors,  came  to  worship  at  his  shrine.  A  commercial  fair 
was  instituted  in  his  honor ;  and  although  Saint  Theodore 
was  not  discarded,  Saint  Mark  was  by  common  consent 
placed  above  him,  his  image  and  name  being  stamped  on 
the  coins  of  Venice,  and  woven  in  her  banners,  while  the 
battle-cry  from  this  time  was  Viva  San  Marco  ! 

Very  soon  the  Doge  Badoer  II.  died,  and  in  hi* 
will  provided  for  the  erection  of  a  mausoleum  for  the 
sacred  bones  of  the  new  patron  saint,  which  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Basilica  of  San  Marco.  Meantime  the  relics 

20 


306  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

of  Saint  Mark  were  deposited  in  the  Chapel  of  St. 
Theodore,  and  there  worshipped ;  and  as  if  that  were  not 
sufficiently  humiliating  to  the  superseded  warrior,  the 
chapel  itself  was  demolished  to  make  room  for  the  more 
imposing  edifice  of  the  newly  arrived  saint.  More  fortu- 
nate than  his  predecessors,  Saint  Mark  has  retained  his 
honored  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  Venetians,  through  all 
the  days  of  their  glory,  and  alas !  through  those  of  their 
decline. 

The  people  treasure  many  legends  of  their  saint,  and 
their  love  and  reverence  for  him  survive  their  knowledge 
of  their  former  state.  San  Marco  the  Saint,  San  Marco 
the  Cathedral,  and  San  Marco  the  Piazza  remain  to  them, 
—  facts  of  which  they  may  well  be  proud,  —  but  the 
Doges,  the  Bucentaur,  the  coronations,  the  tournaments, 
the  pomp,  luxury,  and  wealth,  —  where  are  they  ? 

If  one  doubted  the  miraculous  benefits  which  Saint 
Mark  has  conferred  on  Venice,  he  need  but  to  listen  to 
some  pious  Venetian  while  he  recounts  in  his  soft  and 
fascinating  dialect  the  saving  of  the  city  in  1340. 

He  would  hear  that  on  the  25th  of  February  in  that 
year  a  terrific  storm  prevailed.  The  sounds  that  came 
from  the  sea  were  as  if  some  frightful  enemy  were 
approaching  with  shrieks  and  curses,  which  rent  the  air 
as  no  storm  was  ever  known  to  do.  For  three  days  the 
floods  had  been  swelling,  and  the  water  was  three  cubits 
higher  than  ever  it  had  been,  and  threatened  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  city. 

Affrighted  and  helpless  before  an  enemy  whom  they 
could  neither  attack  nor  repulse,  the  people  sought  the 
Basilica,  and  prayed  to  San  Marco  for  succor.  Masses 
were  constantly  repeated,  and  the  vast  throngs  prayed  and 
watched  by  turns  for  an  answer  to  their  prayers. 

An  old  fisherman  made  his  way  from  one  of  the  islands 
with  great  difficulty,  having  vowed  to  San  Marco  that  if 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  307 

he  would  but  guide  him  home  in  safety,  his  earnings  for 
the  rest  of  his  days  should  be  devoted  to  the  saint.  More 
dead  than  alive,  he  reached  the  Riva  di  San  Marco ;  for, 
more  than  the  storm,  and  more  than  all  his  exertion  in 
rowing,  the  unearthly  shrieks  and  yells  he  had  heard  had 
unfitted  him  for  further  exertion,  —  he  was  paralyzed  with 
fear. 

But  scarcely  had  he  reached  the  Riva  when  a  man  sud- 
denly stood  beside  him,  and  asked  to  be  taken  to  San 
Giorgio  Maggiore.  He  would  listen  to  no  refusals,  and 
so  entreated  the  fisherman  that  he  believed  it  must  be 
the  will  of  God  that  he  should  go.  Strangely  enough, 
though  going  against  the  waves,  a  path  seemed  to  open 
before  them,  and  the  rowing  was  far  lighter  than  it  had 
been  when  he  was  alone  in  the  boat.  At  San  Giorgio 
the  stranger  landed,  and  bade  the  boatman  await  his 
return. 

When  he  came  he  brought  with  him  a  much  younger 
man,  and  now  bade  the  fisherman  row  to  San  Niccolo  del 
Lido.  Aghast  at  such  a  distance  in  such  a  sea,  the  poor 
man  begged  for  mercy  and  release ;  but  he  was  encouraged 
to  row  boldly,  and  promised  strength  for  all  his  task. 
And  so  it  was :  the  boat  seemed  to  leap  over  the  waves ; 
and  when  they  reached  San  Niccolo,  the  two  men  landed, 
and  soon  returned  with  a  third,  and  bade  the  boatman  row 
out  beyond  the  two  castles. 

When  they  came  to  the  sea,  they  saw  a  bark  full  of 
demons  coming  to  overwhelm  the  city  with  water.  The 
three  men  in  the  boat  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and 
bade  the  demons  depart.  Instantly  the  bark  vanished, 
the  sea  was  calm,  and  the  waters  began  to  subside.  Then 
the  men  commanded  the  boatman  to  land  them  at  the 
places  from  which  he  had  brought  them;  this  he  did, 
and  of  the  third  demanded  payment  for  what  he  had  done. 

"Thou  art  right,"  replied  the  man;    "go  now  to  the 


308  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Doge  and  to  the  Procurator!  of  St.  Mark.  Toll  them 
what  thou  hast  seen,  for  Venice  had  been  overwhelmed  but 
for  us  three.  I  am  Saint  Mark  the  Evangelist,  the  pro- 
tector of  Venice.  The  other  is  the  brave  knight  Saint 
George,  and  he  whom  thou  didst  take  up  at  the  Lido  is 
the  holy  bishop  St.  Nicholas.  Say  that  you  are  to  be  paid, 
and  tell  them  likewise  that  this  tempest  arose  because  a 
certain  schoolmaster  of  San  Felice  did  sell  his  soul  to 
the  Devil  and  then  hanged  himself." 

The  fisherman  replied  that  his  story  would  not  be 
believed.  Then  Saint  Mark  gave  him  a  ring  from  his 
finger,  saying,  "Show  them  this,  and  say  that  when  they 
look  in  the  sanctuary  they  will  not  find  it ; "  and  as  he 
spoke  he  disappeared.  The  next  morning,  when  the  boat- 
man went  to  the  Doge  and  the  Procurator!,  it  all  happened 
as  had  been  said.  The  man  was  paid,  and  a  solemn  pro- 
cession was  ordained  to  give  thanks  to  the  three  saints. 
The  boatman  received  a  pension,  and  the  ring  was  replaced 
in  the  sanctuary.  If  any  one  doubts  this,  let  him  go  to 
the  Accademia,  and  look  at  the  pictures  which  commemo- 
rate this  story.  Would  Giorgione  have  taken  all  the 
trouble  to  represent  the  scene  if  it  had  never  occurred ; 
or  would  Paris  Bordone  have  repeated  it,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  same  gallery  ? 

Another  legend  of  the  benefits  which  Saint  Mark  loved 
to  confer  on  his  people  is  perpetuated  by  a  wonderful 
picture  of  Jacopo  Tintoretto's  in  the  same  collection.  A 
poor  slave  who  persisted  in  worshipping  at  the  shrine  of 
Saint  Mark  had  for  this  reason  been  condemned  to  torture 
by  his  cruel  master.  Just  when  the  brutal  executioners 
were  about  to  begin  their  fiendish  cruelties,  the  saint 
descends  like  a  whirlwind;  the  executioners  are  con- 
founded, their  instruments  are  broken,  and  the  slave  is 
free ! 

Another  miracle  of  Saint  Mark's  is  connected  with  the 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  309 

preservation  of  his  own  relics.  In  976  a  fire  destroyed  a 
large  portion  of  San  Marco ;  and  when  the  repairs  were 
completed,  the  place  in  which  the  body  of  the  saint  had 
rested  was  forgotten.  This  was  a  true  sorrow  to  the  Doge 
and  the  people,  and  at  last  they  determined  to  keep  a  fast 
and  pray  God  to  show  them  what  no  man  could  tell.  The 
25th  of  June  was  appointed  for  this  fast,  and  a  solemn 
procession  was  made ;  and  while  in  the  cathedral  all  were 
fervently  imploring  the  manifestation  of  their  treasure, 
with  great  joy  they  beheld  a  pillar  shake,  and  then  fall  to 
the  ground,  disclosing  the  bronze  chest  in  which  the  body 
of  the  Evangelist  was  preserved.  These  sacred  relics  are 
now  beneath  the  high  altar  in  San  Marco,  as  is  recorded 
on  a  marble  slab  at  the  back  of  the  altar. 

Sanudo  gives  a  curious  account  of  the  acquisition  of 
another  saint.  He  says  that  in  992  Pietro  Barbolano, 
together  with  Pietro  Giustiniani,  was  sent  to  Constanti- 
nople on  a  diplomatic  mission.  There  the  future  Doge 
saw  the  remains  of  Saint  Saba,  and  was  seized  with  the 
desire  to  obtain  them  for  his  beloved  Venice.  At  length 
Barbolano,  by  one  argument  and  another,  prevailed  on 
the  guardians  of  the  saint  to  sell  her  to  him ;  but  when 
the  night  came  on  which  he  was  leaving  the  Golden  Horn, 
these  men  showed  signs  of  breaking  their  bargain.  The 
rain  was  falling  in  torrents,  and  the  Greeks  construed 
this  as  an  omen  that  they  ought  not  to  permit  the  saint  to 
undertake  the  voyage. 

But  Barbolano  had  with  him  his  two  sons  and  several 
servants,  and  he  quickly  ended  the  matter  by  ordering  the 
chest  which  contained  the  sacred  relics  to  be  taken  to  his 
ship,  which  was  soon  under  way,  and  made  a  prosperous 
voyage  to  Venice,  where  Barbolano  ordered  the  chest  to 
be  put  in  a  gondola  and  taken  to  his  house,  next  the 
Church  of  San  Antonino  at  Castello.  But  when  this  was 
attempted,  the  chest  had  become  so  heavy  that  it  could 


310  TI1E  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

not  be  lifted;  and  at  the  same  moment  the  bell  of  the 
Campanile  began  to  toll,  with  no  visible  agency,  and 
with  such  violence  as  threatened  destruction  to  the  tower 
itself. 

This  caused  many  people  to  gather  in  the  Piazza;  and 
in  their  midst  Barbolano  threw  himself  on  his  knees  and 
exclaimed,  "We  will  carry  it  to  the  church,  for  the 
Saviour  of  Men  has  declared  his  will  that  this  body  shall 
be  placed  in  the  shrine  dedicated  to  Saint  Antonino." 
It  is  not  easy  to  understand  how  the  devout  Barbolano 
knew  all  this ;  but  apparently  he  was  right,  for  the  chest 
Avas  now  as  light  as  before,  and  was  placed  in  a  gondola, 
taken  to  the  church,  and  deposited  on  the  altar.  Then 
the  bell  ceased  ringing,  and  a  dove  with  miraculously 
white  plumage  hovered  over  the  relics  while  a  Te  Deum 
and  other  services  were  celebrated,  and  then  vanished. 

A  new  altar  was  erected  for  Saint  Saba,  near  that  of 
San  Antonino,  and  the  bones  were  placed  in  the  reliquary 
of  the  church;  and  on  the  evening  of  that  day,  as  the 
cur6  of  San  Antonino  walked  in  his  garden,  he  "mar- 
velled not  a  little  to  observe  among  the  flowers  a  rose  of 
surpassing  beauty;  and  the  good  man  hesitated  not  to 
associate  the  fair  vision  with  the  miracle  of  which  he  had 
just  been  a  witness,  looking  upon  it  as  a  symbol  of  that 
yet  fairer  flower  which  had  been  so  recently  transplanted 
from  the  soil  of  Constantinople  to  that  of  Venice." 

It  would  seem  strange  that  such  a  wonder-working 
saint  should  not  frequently  have  proved  her  power  in  the 
midst  of  the  great  events  of  the  Republic,  and  at  times 
when  miracles  in  behalf  of  the  Venetians  were  sorely 
needed ;  but  doubtless  she  soon  felt  that  those  of  her  sex 
did  not  assume  power  publicly  in  this  City  of  the  Sea, 
and  whatever  she  did  was  done  sub  rosa. 

The  same  Michieli  and  Contarini  who  had  brought  to 
Venice  the  relics  of  Saint  Theodore  were  extremely  fortu- 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  311 

nate  in  their  relic-hunting;  for  they  also  brought  home 
the  due  corpi  di  San  Niccolo,  the  greater  and  the  less,  and 
deposited  them  in  the  Church  of  San  Niccolo  del  Lido. 
Saint  Nicholas  of  Myra  is  a  protector  against  robbers  and 
violence,  and  is  a  favorite  saint  with  sailors,  travellers, 
and  merchants.  He  is  also  a  patron  of  poor  maidens,  of 
children,  and  especially  of  school-boys,  and  the  legends  of 
his  goodness  and  kindly  acts  are  innumerable ;  in  fact,  he 
is  so  celebrated  and  so  important  a  saint  that  it  is  all 
the  more  grievous  to  recount  that  the  majority  of  the  peo- 
ple who  have  lived  since  the  ninth  century  who  have 
understood  these  matters  and  known  all  about  saints  do 
not  allow  that  the  relics  of  this  sainted  Lycian  are,  or 
ever  were,  in  Venice,  and  Bari  is  the  happy  place  wherein 
he  is  said  to  repose.  Thus  it  happens  that  he  is  often 
called  San  Niccolo  di  Bari ;  but  I  should  not  like  to  speak 
of  him  thus  to  any  of  my  devout  Venetian  friends,  least 
of  all  to  my  good  gondolier. 

Another  Venetian  fleet  which  had  been  to  the  aid  of 
Baldwin  in  the  Holy  Land,  when  returning,  about  1125, 
obtained  the  body  of  Saint  Isidore  at  Chios,  and  that  of 
Saint  Donato  at  Cephalonia.  These  were  brought  to 
Venice  at  the  same  time  with  the  "  great  stone  which  had 
stood  near  one  of  the  gates  of  Tyre  since  the  time  when 
Our  Lord,  weary  after  a  journey,  sat  down  to  rest  upon 
it,"  as  well  as  vast  treasures  of  jewels,  gold  and  silver, 
embroideries  and  carpets,  and  all  the  splendid  fabrics  of 
the  Orient.  But  to  the  reverent  Christian  all  else  paled 
before  the  bodies  of  the  saints.  Saint  Isidore  is  believed 
now  to  rest  in  his  own  chapel  in  San  Marco.  San  Donato, 
the  once  saintly  Bishop  of  Evorea,  was  given  by  Domenico 
Michieli  to  Murano,  and  the  Church  of  Santa  Maria  soon 
assumed  his  name.  To  Torcello  was  brought  Saint  Fosca, 
a  noble  virgin  who  had  been  martyred  under  the  persecu- 
tion of  Decius  at  Ravenna;  and  her  church  was  second 


312  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

only  to  the  Cathedral  of  Torcello.  When  to  this  list  of 
saints  we  add  the  bodies  of  San  Pancrazio  and  Santa 
Sabina,  which  were  given  to  the  Abbess  of  San  Zaccaria 
by  Pope  Benedict  III.,  and  Saint  Christina,  the  patron  of 
the  Venetian  States,  and  likewise  Saint  Justina  of  Padua, 
—  another  patron  of  Venice  who  is  represented  in  Vene- 
tian costume,  with  the  city  or  the  cathedral  of  San  Marco 
in  the  distance,  —  we  may  call  Venice  the  City  of  Saints 
as  justly  as  the  City  of  the  Sea. 

SAN  LAZZARO. 

One  saint  still  remains  to  whom  we  must  pay  our 
respects ;  and  since  his  island  lies  some  miles  away  to  the 
southeast,  we  must  devote  to  him  at  least  half  of  a 
precious  Venetian  day.  The  gondola  glides  like  a  spirit 
through  the  narrow  canals,  out  on  the  sea,  where  the 
motion  is  but  enough  to  rock  one  into  forgetfulness  of  all 
care,  even  that  of  self;  and  the  mood  which  follows  is  just 
that  in  which  one  should  come  to  the  old  Armenian  con- 
vent, with  its  garden  of  figs  and  orange-trees,  pome- 
granates and  flowering  shrubs. 

The  welcome  from  the  monks  adds  still  another  ele- 
ment of  peace ;  and  one  roams  quietly  through  the  restful 
old  place,  with  its  church  and  convent,  and  wonders  if  a 
less  gifted  mortal  than  he  who  here  dwelt  and  wrote,  — 

"  Around  me  are  the  stars  and  waters,  — 
Worlds  mirrored  in  the  ocean,  goodlier  sight 
Than  torches  glared  back  by  a  gaudy  glasa," 

could  tarry  here  and  grow  forgetful  of  the  ought  and  must 
of  life. 

At  each  window  a  pause  is  made ;  and  the  fascination  of 
the  views  leads  to  a  feeling  of  sympathy  with  that  good 
Mechitar,  who  founded  his  convent  here  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six  years  ago.  From  the  courteous  monk  who 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  313 

is  our  guide,  we  learn  that  this  same  Mechitar,  who  at 
nine  years  of  age  desired  to  be  a  priest,  and  entered  a 
convent  at  fifteen,  was  a  wonderful  scholar,  a  writer  and 
poet.  Some  of  his  hymns  are  used  in  the  churches  of 
Armenia. 

Mechitar,  having  exhausted  the  learning  at  his  com- 
mand in  the  institutions  to  which  he  could  obtain  admit- 
tance, and  having  learned  from  missionaries  whom  he 
met  of  the  far  greater  advantages  in  Europe,  conceived 
the  idea  of  establishing  a  literary  institution  for  the 
Armenian  nation,  and  after  many  struggles  founded  a 
Mechitaristican  Society  at  Constantinople  in  1700.  Here 
he  began  to  print  books  in  the  Armenian  language,  and 
sent  out  some  preachers  to  various  cities  of  Armenia; 
but  soon  he  became  the  object  of  such  persecution  that  he 
barely  escaped  the  galleys  by  putting  himself  under  the 
protection  of  the  French  ambassador. 

Again,  in  spite  of  immense  hindrances,  he  gathered  his 
disciples  at  Modon,  in  the  Morea,  and  anew  began  the 
erection  of  a  convent  and  church.  For  twelve  years  he 
labored,  when  war  broke  out  between  the  Turks  and  the 
Venetians,  and  his  property  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
former.  Meantime  Mechitar  had  commended  himself 
greatly  to  the  Governor  Emo,  and  to  the  General  of  the 
Marine,  Sebastiano  Mocenigo,  both  of  whom  had  given  him 
money  for  his  building,  and  the  aid  of  their  friendship; 
and  now  he  naturally  turned  to  Venice,  where  he  landed 
in  1715.  After  much  consultation  and  at  the  recom- 
mendation of  Emo  and  Mocenigo,  in  1717  the  Senate 
decreed  to  him  the  island  of  San  Lazzaro,  which  had 
been  used  as  a  hospital  for  lepers  until  it  was  -no  longer 
needed. 

Mechitar  found  little  to  help  him  in  the  old  church, 
deserted  dormitory,  two  wells,  and  a  garden,  which  were 
the  only  remnants  of  the  former  buildings  which  existed. 


314  THE   QUEEN  OF   THE   ADRIATIC. 

He  obtained  from  Rome,  where  he  presented  his  cause  in 
person,  permission  to  send  missionaries  to  the  East. 
Rich  Armenians,  of  whom  there  are  many,  came  to  his 
aid ;  and  in  the  remaining  thirty-two  years  of  his  life  he 
established  his  convent  on  such  a  basis,  and  made  it  of 
such  manifest  benefit  to  the  world,  that  in  1810,  when  the 
monasteries  of  Venice  were  suppressed,  the  Mechitaristi- 
can  Society  was  granted  its  independence. 

Mechitar  received  only  Armenians  into  his  schools. 
The  advance  of  his  own  nation  was  the  object  for  which 
he  lived,  labored,  and  prayed.  His  courses  of  study  were 
comprehensive,  his  discipline  not  severe,  and  his  whole 
attitude  towards  pupils  and  monks  that  of  a  father. 
Seven  hours  a  day  for  study,  and  seven  for  repose;  in 
summer  one  hour  in  the  day  for  sleep;  after  dinner  two 
hours  for  conversation,  and  one  hour  at  evening  for  walk- 
ing in  the  garden  and  for  games ;  forty  days  in  the  summer 
at  the  country  residence  on  the  Brenta;  fifteen  days  in 
the  Carnival  devoted  to  instructive  dramatic  representa- 
tions ;  attendance  on  the  public  festivals  in  Venice,  with 
occasional  outings  on  adjacent  islands  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood on  the  mainland,  —  such  is  the  outline  of  the  rule 
of  Mechitar.  On  the  other  hand,  his  novitiate  was  long 
and  exacting,  and  no  members  were  admitted  unless  proved 
to  be  virtuous,  talented,  of  strong  health,  and  desirous,  of 
their  own  choice,  of  joining  the  Society.  If  found  to  be 
of  indifferent  abilities,  they  were  sent  back  to  Armenia. 
He  had  prayers  three  times  a  day,  according  to  Armenian 
custom,  but  excused  the  younger  pupils  from  morning 
prayer  in  church.  He  made  no  rules  of  abstinence,  and 
provided  plenty  of  food.  He  allowed  no  monk  to  leave 
the  island  without  permission,  and  gave  as  few  rules  of 
conduct  as  possible,  his  object  being  to  strengthen  them 
in  virtue  for  virtue's  sake. 

It  is  difficult  to  leave  the  windows  and  fix  one's  atten- 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  315 

tion  within,  even  to  see  the  treasures  of  the  library,  with 
its  Oriental  manuscripts,  illuminated  missals,  rare  books, 
and  goodly  collection  of  prints.  One  can  readily  admit 
its  claim  to  be  the  centre  of  Armenian  literature  in  all 
the  world,  but  why  not  a  great  Polyglot  centre,  since 
books  are  printed  here  in  thirty-two  different  languages  ? 
Hare  says  that  this  convent "  obtained  a  fictitious  celebrity 
through  Byron,  who  studied  here  for  six  months. "  How- 
ever one  may  view  this,  it  is  most  interesting  to  read 
Byron's  letter  to  Moore  (December,  1816),  in  which, 
among  other  things,  he  says :  — 

"  By  way  of  divertissement,  I  am  studying  daily  at  an  Arme- 
nian monastery  the  Armenian  language.  I  found  that  my 
mind  wanted  something  craggy  to  break  upon ;  and  this  —  as 
the  most  difficult  thing  I  could  discover  here  for  an  amusement 
—  I  have  chosen,  to  torture  me  into  attention.  It  is  a  rich  lan- 
guage, however,  and  would  amply  repay  any  one  the  trouble  of 
learning  it.  I  try,  and  shall  go  on;  but  I  answer  for  nothing, 
least  of  all  for  my  intentions  or  my  success.  .  .  .  Four  yearg 
ago  the  French  instituted  an  Armenian  professorship.  Twenty 
pupils  presented  themselves  on  Monday  morning,  full  of  noble 
ardor,  ingenuous  youth,  and  impregnable  industry.  They  per- 
severed, with  a  courage  worthy  of  the  nation  and  of  universal 
conquest,  till  Thursday,  when  fifteen  of  the  twenty  succumbed 
to  the  six-and-twentieth  letter  of  the  alphabet.  It  is,  to  be  sure, 
a  Waterloo  of  an  alphabet,  —  that  must  be  said  for  them. " 

After  Byron's  death,  a  Preface  to  the  Armenian  Gram- 
mar was  found  among  his  papers.  It  was  probably 
intended  for  the  Armenian  and  English  Grammar  which 
Byron  helped  Dr.  Aucher  to  prepare.  The  following  is 
an  extract  from  this  "  Preface  " :  — 

"  The  society  of  the  convent  of  S.  Lazarus  appears  to  unite 
all  the  advantages  of  the  monastic  institution,  without  any  of 
its  vices.  The  neatness,  the  comfort,  the  gentleness,  the  un- 
affected devotion,  the  accomplishments,  and  the  virtues  of  the 


316  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

brethren  of  the  order,  are  well  fitted  to  strike  a  man  of  the 
world  with  the  conviction  that  '  there  is  another  and  a  better, 
even  in  this  life.' 

"These  men  are  the  priesthood  of  an  oppressed  and  noble 
nation,  which  has  partaken  of  the  proscription  and  bondage  of 
the  Jews  and  of  the  Greeks,  without  the  sullenness  of  the  former 
or  the  servility  of  the  latter.  This  people  has  attained  riches 
without  usury,  and  all  the  honors  that  can  be  awarded  to  slavery 
without  intrigue.  But  they  have  long  occupied,  nevertheless,  a 
part  of  the  'House  of  Bondage,'  who  has  lately  multiplied  her 
many  mansions.  It  would  be  difficult,  perhaps,  to  find  the 
annals  of  a  nation  less  stained  with  crimes  than  those  of  the 
Armenians,  whose  virtues  have  been  those  of  peace,  and  their 
vices  those  of  compulsion.  But  whatever  may  have  been  their 
destiny,  —  and  it  has  been  bitter,  —  whatever  it  may  be  in 
future,  their  country  must  ever  be  one  of  the  most  interesting 
on  the  globe;  and  perhaps  their  language  only  requires  to  be 
more  studied  to  become  more  attractive.  If  the  Scriptures  are 
rightly  understood,  it  was  in  Armenia  that  Paradise  was  placed, 
—  Armenia,  which  has  paid  as  dearly  as  the  descendants  of  Adam 
for  that  fleeting  participation  of  its  soil  in  the  happiness  of  him 
who  was  created  from  its  dust.  It  was  in  Armenia  that  the 
flood  first  abated,  and  the  dove  alighted.  But  with  the  disap- 
pearance of  Paradise  itself  may  be  almost  dated  the  unhappiness 
of  the  country;  for,  though  long  a  powerful  kingdom,  it  was 
scarcely  ever  an  independent  one,  and  the  satraps  of  Persia  and 
the  pachas  of  Turkey  have  alike  desolated  the  region  where  God 
created  man  in  his  own  image." 

The  hours  pass  imperceptibly  away.  In  hearing  what 
the  monk  tells,  and  in  reading  what  he  gives  us  concern- 
ing the  Society,  —  like  the  above  and  kindred  facts,  —  the 
day  declines,  until  the  sensation  of  the  lessening  light 
reminds  us  that  there  is  still  something  to  be  done, 
delightful  as  this  reading  and  musing  is.  Within  twilight 
has  come ;  but  without,  although  the  east  is  dusky,  it  is 
so  by  contrast  with  the  west.  The  setting  sun  has  sunk 


SAINTS  AND  OTHERS.  317 

so  far  that  it  illumines  the  sky  alone,  where  golden  mina- 
rets are  reaching  toward  mid-heaven,  and  low,  sleeping 
clouds  of  purplish  hue  sink  with  the  sun  beyond  the  hori- 
zon. At  the  last  there  are  flashes  of  brilliant  flame,  and 
then  sea  and  sky  are  blended.  The  twilight  grows  less 
and  less.  How  silent  the  world  seems !  The  gentle  dip 
of  the  oars  alone  is  heard,  until,  as  we  come  nearer  the 
city,  a  snatch  of  song  falls  on  our  ear,  a  gondola  overtakes 
us,  and  Giacomo  cheerfully  greets  a  comrade.  As  we 
near  the  Piazzetta,  all  light  is  gone  from  the  sea.  We 
leave  an  inky  darkness  behind,  which  makes  the  blinking 
lamps  on  the  Molo  seem  brilliant  by  contrast. 

Now  comes  a  new  pleasure,  —  for  even  in  dreamy  Venice 
mortals  are  still  doomed  to  eat,  —  and  to-night  we  leave  our 
better-loved  Zattere  to  meet  friends  at  the  Cafe*  Florian, 
with  its  frescos  and  mirrors  and  cosey  cabinets,  from 
which,  while  being  served,  we  catch  glimpses  of  the  fast- 
filling  square.  The  lights  are  multiplying;  the  concerts 
of  violins  and  harps,  and  the  songs  of  the  singers  are 
beginning.  The  flower-girls  are  tying  their  nosegays  or 
weaving  garlands,  and  gazing  wistfully  at  the  windows  of 
the  brilliant  little  shops ;  and  hundreds  of  figures  pass  and 
repass,  now  in  the  shadow  and  now  in  the  light. 

But  even  this  dinner  will  end.  The  delicious  sorbet 
and  the  fragrant  coffee  are,  all  too  soon,  things  of  the 
past.  However,  we  do  not  stay  to  regret  them,  since  this 
evening  affords  one  of  the  rare  opportunities  to  see  La 
Fenice  open  in  summer.  It  is  always  entertaining  to 
watch  the  coming  and  going  of  the  gondolas  to  and  from 
this  theatre ;  but  at  this  season,  when  most  of  the  wealthy 
Venetians  are  away  on  the  mainland,  the  audience  is  not 
brilliant,  the  play  not  very  good,  and  we  are  glad  to  be 
back  in  the  Piazza  for  an  hour  beneath  the  summer  moon, 
and  then  to  walk  home  through  the  crooked  catti,  that 
seem  more  like  the  make-believe  of  the  stage  than  like 


318  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

real  life.  There  are  corners  so  dark  that  they  might  well 
be  used  for  an  ambush.  But  we  have  no  enemies  in 
Venice,  and  so  by  aid  of  Giacomo's  lanthorn  may  safely 
explore  these  narrow  ways  at  any  hour  we  choose,  and 
hang  the  pictures  of  them  in  our  mental  gallery  to  look  at 
and  think  about  when  thousands  of  miles  away.  For  who 
that  loves  Venice  ever  forgets  her  ?  and  that  which  in  her 
midst  seems  dreamlike  and  unreal,  with  time  and  dis- 
tance crystallizes  into  the  sharpest  and  clearest  of 
memories. 

On  snch  a  night  as  this  impassionedly 

The  old  Venetian  sung  these  verses  rare, 

"  That  Venice  must  of  needs  eternal  be, 

For  Heaven  had  looked  through  the  pellucid  air, 

And  cast  its  reflex  in  the  crystal  sea, 

And  Venice  was  the  image  pictured  there." 

I  hear  them  now,  and  tremble,  for  I  seem 

As  treading  on  an  unsubstantial  dream. 

Who  talks  of  vanished  glory,  of  dead  power, 

Of  things  that  were,  and  are  not  ?     Is  he  here  ? 

Can  he  take  in  the  glory  of  this  hour, 

And  call  it  all  the  decking  of  a  bier  ? 

No,  surely  as  on  that  Titanic  tower 

The  Guardian  Angel  stands  in  aether  clear, 

With  the  moon's  silver  tempering  his  gold  wing, 

So  Venice  lives,  as  lives  no  other  thing. 

LORD  HOUOHTON. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

HISTORIANS   AND   SCHOLARS. 

WHEN  we  consider  the  literature  of  Venice,  we  are 
amazed  to  find  how  few  names  are  in  its  list  of 
authors,  and  how  narrow  the  field  they  occupied.  Of 
poets  there  were  none;  and,  indeed,  the  only  writers  of 
importance  were  the  early  annalists  and  the  later  histo- 
rians. That  peculiarly  self-centred  trait  of  which  we 
have  spoken  as  belonging  to  the  Venetians  in  various 
directions,  was  eminently  characteristic  of  their  writers. 
It  was  Venice,  and  only  Venice,  that  interested  them ;  and 
from  its  earliest  days  there  were  those,  nameless  now, 
who  were  so  impressed  with  the  growth,  the  strength,  and 
the  splendor  of  the  city  that  they  saw  growing  and  spread- 
ing around  them,  that  they  wrote  it  all  down,  and  thus 
furnished  invaluable  material  to  those  who  came  after 
them  and  wrote  in  a  more  elegant  and  systematic  style. 
Some  of  these  early  annals  still  exist.  They  are  read  by 
the  learned,  and  are  said  to  be  a  strange  medley  of  his- 
tory and  fable,  all  expressed  in  language  of  such  vigor  as 
to  emphasize  the  earnestness  of  the  writers,  and  fre- 
quently with  such  realism  as  would  eclipse  the  authors  of 
our  day  who  cultivate  that  quality.  His  Serenity  Marco 
Foscarini,  in  his  work  on  Venetian  literature,  gives  the 
names  of  such  a  host  of  these  imperceptible  writers,  who 
are  more  than  half  lost  in  the  ancient  fogs  in  which  they 
existed,  that  one  must  be  brave  even  to  read  these  names, 
much  more  so  to  attempt  their  works. 


320  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

Sagornino,  of  the  eleventh  century,  is  more  real ;  and  no 
aspect  in  which  Venice  could  be  viewed  was  neglected  by 
him  and  his  followers.  Its  ceremonials,  treaties,  ecclesi- 
astical and  other  important  matters,  are  treated  with  no 
more  attention  and  respect  than  are  the  merest  details 
and  most  common  events.  They  were  all  lovers  of  this 
mistress,  Venezia,  to  whom  the  slightest  variation  in  her 
pulse  was  almost  a  matter  of  life  and  death. 

But  not  until  the  fourteenth  century  were  these  chroni- 
cles put  into  a  form  which  could  be  called  history. 
Andrea  Dandolo,  Petrarch's  friend,  the  first  scholarly 
Doge,  may  also  be  called  the  first  Venetian  historian. 
His  family  had  already  given  three  Doges  to  the  Republic, 
and  he  had  not  only  the  early  annals,  but  the  state 
papers  and  those  of  his  ancestors,  on  which  to  rely  for 
the  facts  which  he  wove  into  a  formal,  dignified,  and  con- 
scientious narration  of  the  lives  and  deeds  of  the  rulers  of 
Venice  who  had  preceded  him. 

After  him,  for  a  half-century,  again  there  were  but  the 
chronicles  of  monks  who  wrote  of  their  orders,  soldiers 
who  fought  their  battles  over  on  parchment,  or  idle  patri- 
cians who  amused  themselves  by  keeping  diaries.  A 
history  of  Venice  was  talked  of,  was  ardently  desired;  but 
no  one  undertook  it,  until  Marco  Antonio  Sabellico,  a 
native  of  Vicovaro,  was  seized  with  the  desire  to  write 
such  a  book,  which  was  published  in  1487.  It  seems 
almost  impossible  to  believe  what  we  are  told,  —  that  he 
had  seen  no  authoritative  book  on  Venice,  that  he  knew 
neither  Dandolo's  history,  nor  that  best  account  of  the 
Chioggian  War,  written  by  the  nephew  of  the  great  Zeno. 
But  be  this  as  it  may,  in  fifteen  months  he  completed  a 
work  which,  though  not  without  its  errors,  stands  as  an 
authority,  and  is  without  doubt  the  most  eloquent  of 
Venetian  annals.  It  was  at  once  accepted  with  enthusi- 
asm; and  the  Senate  graciously  gave  to  Sabellico  two 


HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS.  321 

hundred  ducats  a  year.  The  translation  from  the  Latin 
by  Dolce  retains  the  telling  eloquence  of  the  original. 
It  is  a  wonderful  account  of  the  internal  and  external 
affairs  of  the  Republic,  given  with  a  pen  so  graphic  as  to 
make  its  word  pictures  full  of  the  charm  that  we  find  in 
the  work  of  the  artist  who  places  before  the  eye  the  color 
and  the  details  of  what  he  represents. 

Again  an  interval  of  dilettantish  essays  transpired, 
until,  in  1515,  Andrea  Navagero,  whom  Foscarini  calls 
the  most  elegant  Latin  writer  in  Italy,  was  made  the 
Historian  of  the  Republic.  But  in  spite  of  this  great 
honor,  which  came  to  him  early  in  his  life,  we  have  no 
history  by  him;  and  his  own  story  is  tragical.  Fifteen 
years  passed  after  his  appointment  to  office,  and  the  work 
done  by  Sabellico  in  as  many  months  was  not  yet  forth- 
coming, when,  in  1530,  he  was  sent  on  an  embassy  to 
France.  Soon  after  reaching  Paris  he  sickened  and  died, 
and  on  his  last  day  burned  all  his  papers,  —  ten  books, 
it  is  said,  of  the  history  of  Venice.  It  is  believed  that 
this  was  done  in  a  delirium ;  but  the  sensitive  nature  of 
Navagero,  and  his  morbid  dissatisfaction  with  his  work, 
leave  a  doubt  as  to  his  condition  when  he  committed  this 
deplorable  act. 

Then,  too,  another  writer,  older  than  he,  of  infinite 
research,  —  Mrs.  Oliphant  calls  him  "  one  of  the  most 
astonishing  and  gifted  of  historical  moles, "  —  Marino 
Sanudo,  was  collecting  and  putting  together  that  work  of 
his  for  which  we  all  thank  him  and  his  Maker,  — an  end- 
less procession  of  facts  with  all  possible  details,  —  an 
omnium  gatherum  from  which  all  seekers  can  select  that 
which  suits  their  needs. 

Here  we  must  note  a  curious  coincidence.  We  have  a 
chronicle  written  by  another  Andrea  Navagero,  sometimes 
quoted,  but  finished  while  the  historian  was  a  child. 
And  likewise  was  there  a  second  Marino  Sanudo,  called 

21 


322  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Torsello,  again  the  elder  of  the  two,  who  wrote  more  than 
a  century  before  the  oft-quoted  historian.  This  Sanudo 
Torsello  wrote  of  the  Crusades  and  of  other  matters  more 
distinctly  Venetian,  and  although  sometimes  quoted,  is 
of  little  importance  beside  the  younger  man.  In  fact,  the 
two  elders,  Navagero  and  Sanudo,  serve  principally  to 
create  a  confusion  by  their  names,  and  are  of  no  special 
value  in  any  direction. 

The  younger  Sanudo  is  very  important  among  Venetian 
historians,  and  really  began  his  researches  when  but  nine 
years  old.  He  was  of  a  noble  house,  had  all  possible 
advantages  of  education  and  travel,  was  keen  in  his  obser- 
vations, and  in  a  very  sober  manner  makes  many  a 
humorous  remark,  like  that  one  so  often  quoted :  "  If  the 
story  had  not  been  true,  our  brave  Venetians  would  not 
have  painted  it."  When  Marino  was  seventeen  years 
old,  his  cousin  Marco  Sanudo  was  appointed  one  of  the 
Syndics  of  Terra  Firma,  and  took  the  young  author  with 
him  to  Padua.  From  this  time  he  noted  in  his  diaries 
all  that  came  under  his  observation,  and  all  he  heard. 
He  left,  besides  his  voluminous  published  works,  fifty-six 
volumes  of  these  journals,  many,  if  not  all,  of  which  are 
now  published,  and  afford  an  almost  momentary  account 
of  the  life  in  Venice  for  a  half-century  before  1533.  He 
collected  a  great  library,  and  was  active  in  his  public  life. 
He  records  his  speeches  in  the  Senate,  and  they  were 
almost  numberless.  He  held  many  important  offices,  and 
was  extremely  active  in  the  discussions  of  all  public  mat- 
ters in  the  Great  Council  as  well  as  the  Senate.  He  was 
usually  in  the  minority ;  but  that  never  discouraged  him, 
and  he  more  than  once  records  his  determination  to  "  let 
no  day  pass  without  writing  the  news  that  comes  from 
day  to  day,  so  that  I  may  the  better,  accustoming  myself 
to  the  strict  truth,  go  on  with  my  true  history,  which  was 
begun  several  years  ago.  Seeking  no  eloquence  of  com- 


HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS.  323 

position,  I  will  thus  note  down  everything  as  it  happens." 
He  also  records  his  determination  "to  do  something  in 
this  age  in  honor  of  the  eternal  majesty  and  exaltation 
of  the  Venetian  State,  to  which  I  can  never  fail,  being 
born  in  that  allegiance,  for  which  I  would  die  a  thousand 
times  if  that  could  advantage  my  country,  notwithstand- 
ing that  I  have  been  beaten,  worn  out,  and  evil  entreated 
in  her  councils."  And  thus  it  resulted  that  his  diaries 
became  an  unequalled  storehouse  of  minute  and  general 
information,  and  it  is  largely  to  them  that  we  owe  that 
fascinating  and  curious  information  which  admits  us,  so 
to  speak,  into  the  houses  and  palaces,  the  social  gather- 
ings, the  august  assemblies,  even  into  the  Council  of  Ten, 
and  the  innermost  recesses  of  life  in  medieval  Venice. 

When  one  reviews  a  life  like  that  of  Marino  Sanudo, 
and  is  impressed  with  the  fact  that  he  lived  and  breathed 
in  exactly  the  atmosphere  that  suited  him,  —  that  from 
his  earliest  years  he  was  inexpressibly  busy  in  doing  just 
that  for  which  he  was  best  fitted  by  nature,  that  which 
of  all  the  world  he  would  have  chosen,  —  it  naturally 
seems  that  he  must  have  been  a  very  happy  man.  But  he 
had  his  trials,  — some  of  them  very  heavy  to  him.  Again 
and  again  he  is  excluded  from  public  office.  At  first  he 
congratulates  himself  on  having  more  time,  but  later  it 
becomes  evident  that  he  feels  his  unpopularity  keenly,  as 
one  may  see  when  he  says :  — 

"In  the  past  year  [1522]  I  have  been  dismissed  from  the 
Giunta  [Zonta],  of  which  two  years  ago  I  was  made  a  member; 
but  while  I  sat  in  that  Senate  I  always  in  my  speeches  did  my 
best  for  my  country,  with  full  honor  from  the  senators  for  my 
opinions  and  judgment,  even  when  against  those  of  my  col- 
leagues. And  this  is  the  thing  that  has  injured  me;  for  had  I 
been  mute,  applauding  individuals  as  is  the  present  fashion, 
letting  things  pass  that  are  against  the  interest  of  my  dearest 
country,  acting  contrary  to  the  law,  as  those  who  have  the 


324  THE   QUEEN   OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

guidance  of  the  city  permit  to  be  done,  even  had  I  not  been 
made  Avvogadore,  I  should  have  been  otherwise  treated.  .  .  . 
I  confess  that  this  repulse  has  caused  me  no  small  grief,  and 
has  been  the  occasion  of  my  illness;  and  if  again  I  was  rejected 
iu  the  ballot  for  the  past  year,  it  was  little  wonder  seeing  that 
many  thought  rne  dead,  or  so  infirm  that  I  was  no  longer  good 
for  anything,  not  having  stirred  from  my  house  for  many  months 
before.  But  the  Divine  bounty  has  still  preserved  me,  and,  as 
I  have  said,  enabled  me  to  complete  the  diary  for  this  year;  for 
however  suffering  I  was  I  never  failed  to  record  the  news  of 
every  day  which  was  brought  to  me  by  my  friends,  so  that  an- 
other volume  is  finished." 

But  the  signal  grief  of  his  life  must  have  come  from 
the  appointment  of  the  young  and  inexperienced  Navagero 
as  the  historian  of  the  Republic.  He  speaks  of  this 
Messer  Andrea  Navagero,  who  was  paid  for  writing  his- 
tory, with  gentle  contempt;  but  the  speedy  death  of 
Andrea,  and  the  fact  that  he  left  nothing  behind  to  be 
placed  in  comparison  with  the  work  of  Sanudo,  disposes 
of  this  matter  with  comparatively  few  words. 

But  when  Pietro  Bembo  was  appointed  to  succeed 
Navagero,  what  must  have  been  Sanudo's  indignation,  — 
a  man  who  had  lived  out  of  Venice,  who  did  not  even 
remove  to  that  city  to  write  its  history,  who  had  done 
nothing  to  prove  his  fitness  for  the  office,  and  who  hesi- 
tated not  to  ask  Sanudo  to  lend  him  the  precious  diaries 
from  which  to  extract  materials  for  his  own  writing ! 

Well  did  Sanudo  answer  that  he  would  "give  the  sweat 
of  his  brow  to  no  one."  And  then  Bembo  wrote  from 
Padua,  asking  the  Doge  to  compel  Sanudo  to  open  his  col- 
lections to  him.  But  at  last  the  poor,  slighted  man  did 
give  his  "sweat"  to  his  unconscionable  rival;  and  the 
result  is  much  to  his  credit,  for  beside  his  animated  and 
entertaining  narrative'  Bembo's  writing  is  as  dry  as 
desert  sands. 


HISTORIANS  AND    SCHOLARS.  325 

Very  late  in  his  life  the  Ten  gave  him  one  hundred  and 
fifty  ducats  a  year  as  a  recognition  of  his  books,  —  "  which 
I  vow  to  God  is  nothing  to  the  great  labor  they  have  cost 
me, "  as  he  remarks.  Until  within  two  and  a  half  years 
of  his  death  he  continued  his  diaries ;  and  as  soon  as  he 
ceased  to  write  them  he  made  a  will,  in  which  he  gave 
them  bound  and  enclosed  in  a  book -case  to  the  Signoria, 
to  be  placed  where  they  should  think  best.  And  now 
comes  the  most  astounding  fact.  These  treasures,  which 
we  should  naturally  think  would  have  been  placed  with 
care  and  pride  where  they  could  be  seen  and  consulted, 
were  put  no  one  knows  where,  and  in  1805  were  found  in 
the  Royal  Library  at  Vienna,  having  got  there  nobody 
knows  how! 

Sanudo's  library  and  his  collections  of  pictures  and 
curiosities,  from  the  celebrated  mappamondo  to  matters  of 
slight  importance  and  value,  had  become  famous ;  and  we 
are  told  that  "the  illustrious  strangers  who  visited  Venice 
in  these  days  went  away  dissatisfied  unless  they  had  seen 
the  Arsenal,  the  jewels  of  S.  Marco,  and  the  library  of 
Sanudo."  Sometimes  they  were  forced  to  be  "dissatis- 
fied;" for  the  old  historian  grew  weary  of  "illustrious 
persons, "  and  said  them  nay  with  a  will,  when  asked  to 
display  his  collections. 

To  him  personally,  while  he  had  been  greatly  interested 
in  all  his  roba,  the  books  were  the  most  precious,  and 
at  one  time  he  had  intended  to  make  a  gift  of  them  to  the 
library  of  S.  Marco;  but  although  long  promised,  this 
library  was  not  begun.  Sanudo  was  poor.  He  could  not 
even  reward  Anna  of  Padua,  who  had  served  him  faith- 
fully for  twenty  years,  and  had  not  been  paid.  He  also 
felt  himself  compelled  to  relinquish  the  marble  sarcopha- 
gus in  San  Zaccaria,  for  which  a  previous  will  had  pro- 
vided ;  and  so  at  last,  he  directed  his  executors  to  sell  his 
collections,  to  pay  the  worthy  Anna,  to  bury  him  "  where 


326  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

he  falls,"  preserving  only  the  epitaph  which  he  had 
written  to  his  great  comfort.  No  one  knows  where  he 
was  laid ;  and  not  a  word  to  his  honor  and  remembrance 
existed  in  Venice  until  Mr.  Rawdon  Brown,  who  has  res- 
cued the  name  and  works  of  Sanudo  from  oblivion,  placed 
an  inscription  on  his  house,  still  standing,  with  the 
Sanudo  arms  upon  it,  behind  the  Fondaco  dei  Turchi 
(Museo  Civico),  in  the  parish  of  S.  Giacoino  dell'  Orio. 
Mrs.  Oliphant  says:  — 

"  Would  it  have  damped  his  zeal,  we  wonder,  could  he  have 
foreseen  that  his  unexampled  work  should  drop  into  oblivion, 
after  historians,  such  as  the  best  informed  of  Doges,  Marco 
Foscarini,  knowing  next  to  nothing  of  him  —  till  suddenly  a 
lucky  and  delighted  student  fell  upon  those  volumes  in  the 
Austrian  Library;  and  all  at  once,  after  three  centuries  and 
more,  old  Venice  sprang  to  light  under  the  hand  of  her  old 
chronicler,  and  Marino  Sanudo  with  all  his  pictures,  his  knick- 
knacks,  his  brown  rolls  of  manuscript  and  dusty  volumes  round 
him,  regained,  as  was  his  right,  the  first  place  among  Venetian 
historians, — one  of  the  most  notable  figures  of  the  mediaeval 
world." 

To  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance  was  the  reward 
that  Marino  Sanudo  ardently  coveted;  and  though  never 
appreciated  by  his  contemporaries,  and  utterly  forgotten 
by  the  whole  world  for  hundreds  of  years,  he  is  now 
respected  and  valued,  and  that  eterna  memoria,  to  earn 
which  he  valued  no  toil,  at  last  is  his. 

It  remains  to  speak  of  Theobaldo  Mannucci,  or 
Manutio,  familiarly  called  Messer  or  Ser  Aldo,  best 
known  to  us  as  Aldus,  the  great  printer  of  Venice,  whose 
house  may  still  be  seen,  in  the  Campo  San  Agostino,  near 
the  Scuola  di  S.  Giovanni  Evangelista,  near  by  the  spot 
on  which  stood  the  house  of  the  gran  cavaliere,  Baja- 
monte  Tiepolo.  Aldus  was  not  a  Venetian,  having  first 
seen  the  light  in  Bassiano,  near  Rome.  The  history  of 


HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS.  327 

his  earlier  years  is  indistinct;  but  this  much  seems  to  be 
true,  that,  being  a  great  scholar  and  student,  he  had  also 
been  a  tutor  in  the  family  of  the  Pii,  princes  of  Carpi. 
He  was  also  the  friend  of  Count  Giovanni  Pico  at  Miran- 
dola,  one  of  the  most  scholarly  men  of  his  age. 

At  length,  for  one  reason  and  another,  too  many  and 
too  involved  to  be  given  here,  he  decided  to  go  to  Venice, 
and  begin  that  making  of  books  which  in  his  hands 
became  such  an  honor  and  advantage  to  that  city ;  and  in 
this  he  was  much  encouraged,  and  probably  substantially 
aided,  by  Count  Pico.  Thus  a  Florentine  and  a  Roman 
brought  to  this  Mistress  of  the  Sea  a  kind  of  prestige 
which  no  son  of  hers  had  given.  Aldus  probably  knew 
that  foreign  printers,  of  whom  we  have  spoken,  had  been 
encouraged  to  do  their  work  at  Venice;  but  he  was  no 
mere  printer,  and  although  it  is  by  that  name  that  he  is 
most  frequently  spoken  of,  he  was  a  scholar  before  he  was 
a  printer,  and  became  a  printer  because  of  his  scholar- 
ship. He  had  found  how  meagre  and  incorrect  were  the 
text-books  of  his  time ;  and  to  supply  these  defects  and 
give  to  the  world  books  free  from  blemishes  in  substance 
and  form,  was  his  untradesmanlike  motive. 

It  is  believed  that  he  went  to  Venice  about  1488,  and 
his  first  publication  appeared  six  years  later.  Meantime 
he  had  prepared  the  manuscripts  he  wished  to  print,  and 
had  drawn  around  him  a  large  number  of  men,  old  and 
young,  from  senators  and  priests  to  the  youths  who 
sought  learning,  to  listen  to  his  reading  and  exposition  of 
the  Greek  and  Latin  authors.  The  Neacademia  of  Aldo 
became  a  most  important  factor  in  Venetian  life.  To 
quote  Mrs.  Oliphant: —  • 

"  Sabellico,  the  learned  and  eloquent  historian,  with  whose 
work  Venice  was  ringing;  Sanudo,  our  beloved  chronicler,  then 
beginning  his  life-long  work;  Bembo,  the  future  cardinal,  al- 
ready one  of  the  fashionable  semi-priests  of  society,  holding  a 


328  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

canonicate;  the  future  historian  who  wrote  no  history,  Andrea 
Navagero,  but  he  in  his  very  earliest  youth ;  another  cardinal, 
Leandro,  then  a  barefooted  friar,  —  all  crowded  about  the  new 
classical  teacher.  The  enthusiasm  with  which  he  was  received 
seems  to  have  exceeded  even  the  ordinary  welcome  accorded  in 
that  age  of  literary  freemasonry  to  every  man  who  had  any  new 
light  to  throw  upon  the  problems  of  knowledge.  And  while  he 
expounded  and  instructed,  the  work  of  preparation  for  still  more 
important  labors  went  on.  It  is  evident  that  he  made  himself 
fully  known,  and  even  became  an  object  of  general  curiosity, 
one  of  the  personages  to  be  visited  by  all  that  were  on  the  sur- 
face of  Venetian  society,  and  that  the  whole  of  Venice  was 
interested  and  entertained  by  the  idea  of  the  new  undertaking. 
...  It  was  a  labor  of  love,  an  enterprise  of  the  highest  public 
importance,  and  as  such  commended  itself  to  all  who  cared  for 
education  or  the  humanities,  or  who  had  any  desire  to  be  con- 
sidered as  members  or  disciples  of  that  highest  and  most  cul- 
tured class  of  men  of  letters,  who  were  the  pride  and  glory  of 
the  age." 

His  house,  though  "far  from  the  busy  haunts,"  was 
soon  a  gathering-place  and  centre  for  such  men  as  were 
seriously  interested  in  what  was  there  transpiring;  and 
Aldus  skilfully  employed  all  who  could  and  would  aid 
him  in  the  preparation  of  the  almost  indecipherable 
manuscripts,  in  proof-reading,  and  in  many  matters  which 
demanded  keen  intelligence  and  infinite  patience. 

The  picture  of  his  busy  shops,  to  which  these  men 
turned  and  where  they  labored,  leaving  the  fascinations 
of  the  Piazza  and  the  exciting  life  of  Venice  at  her  best, 
makes  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  many  remarkable 
scenes  of  that  unique  and  marvellous  city.  And  it  is 
curious  to  note  how  in  the  lives  of  men  like  Aldus  in 
the  present  day  his  vexations  are  repeated,  reminding  us 
that  there  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun.  He  complains 
that  if  he  attempted  to  answer  the  letters  he  receives,  both 
night  and  day  would  be  too  little  for  the  task;  and  trou- 


HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS.  329 

blesome  visitors  were  as  numerous  then  as  now,  wherever 
great  men  live.  He  humorously  wrote  of  these :  — 

"  Some  from  friendship,  some  from  interest,  the  greater  part 
because  they  have  nothing  to  do,  — for  then  'Let  us  go,'  they 
say,  'to  Aldo's.'     They  come  in  crowds  and  sit  gaping,  — 
'  Non  missura  cutem,  nisi  plena  cruoris  hirudo.' 

I  do  not  speak  of  those  who  come  to  read  me  either  poems  or 
prose,  generally  rough  and  unpolished,  for  publication,  for  I 
defend  myself  from  these  by  no  answer  or  else  a  very  brief  one, 
which  I  hope  nobody  will  take  in  ill  part,  since  it  is  done,  not 
from  pride  or  scorn,  but  because  all  my  leisure  is  taken  up  in 
publishing  books  of  established  fame.  As  for  those  who  come 
for  no  reason,  we  make  bold  to  admonish  them  in  classical  words 
in  a  sort  of  edict  placed  over  our  door,  <  WHOEVER  YOU  ARE, 
Aldo  requests  you,  if  you  want  anything,  ask  it  in  few  words 
and  depart,  unless,  like  Hercules,  you  come  to  lend  the  aid  of 
your  shoulders  to  the  weary  Atlas.  Here  will  always  be  found 
in  that  case  something  for  you  to  do,  however  many  you  may 
be.'  " 

We  can  well  understand  that  the  publication  of  the 
Greek  Grammar,  Aristotle,  and  kindred  authors  must 
have  been  a  work  of  time.  But  five  books  were  produced 
in  two  years,  and  that  with  the  aid  of  two  scholarly  edi- 
tors, besides  the  zealous  help  of  friends,  to  which  we 
have  referred  above.  In  addition  to  the  costly  methods 
that  Aldus  was  forced  to  pursue,  he  could  find  no  type 
that  suited  him,  and  set  himself  to  invent  one;  that 
known  at  first  as  Aldino,  and  later  Italic,  was  the  result. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  he  aimed  to  reproduce  the  even 
and  clear  chirography  of  Petrarch,  and  himself  described 
the  result  as  a  type  "  of  the  greatest  beauty,  such  as  was 
never  done  before."  Aldus  hastened  to  ask  of  the 
Signoria  the  sole  right  to  use  this  type  for  ten  years, 
which  privilege  was  granted  him  upon  the  following 
appeal :  — 


330  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

"I  supplicate  that  for  ten  years  no  other  should  be  allowed 
to  priut  in  cursive  letters  of  any  sort  iu  the  dominion  of  your 
Serenity,  nor  to  sell  books  printed  in  any  other  countries  in  any 
part  of  the  said  dominion,  under  pain  to  whoever  breaks  this 
law  of  forfeiting  the  books  and  paying  a  fine  of  two  hundred 
ducats  for  each  offence,  which  fine  shall  be  divided  into  three 
parts,  —  one  for  the  officer  who  shall  convict,  another  for  the 
Pieta,  the  third  for  the  informer,  etc." 

Query,  was  this  not  putting  a  strong  temptation  before 
the  informer  and  the  convicting  officer  ? 

The  type  we  now  use  in  italics  is  the  descendant  of  the 
Aldino,  but  not  so  delicate  and  graceful  as  the  ancestor. 
The  first  book  printed  in  this  manner  appeared  in  1501, 
and,  as  seems  most  fitting,  was  the  poems  of  Petrarch, 
printed  directly  from  his  own  manuscript.  The  Aldine 
mark  on  the  titlepages  of  this  great  printer's  books  was 
the  anchor  and  dolphin ;  and  Lorenzo  of  Pavia  said  of  this 
volume  to  the  Duchess  Isabella  Gonzaga,  it  is  "a  rare 
thing,  which,  like  your  Ladyship,  has  no  paragon." 

After  a  time  Erasmus  of  Rotterdam  wrote  to  Aldus 
concerning  the  publication  of  his  "Adages,"  and  finally 
came  to  Venice,  and  became  one  of  the  assistants  of  the 
printer,  —  this  man  of  great  fame,  greater  than  those 
Italians  who  called  him  "  that  Dutchman  "  and  laughed 
at  his  moderation  and  large  appetite.  Jealousy  and  envy 
invaded  the  Stamperia,  where  the  sounds  of  the  gayety  of 
fashionable  Venice  never  were  heard,  and  where  little 
interest  was  felt  in  the  struggles,  the  feuds,  and  the 
betrayals  which  were  rampant  there,  from  the  Great  Coun- 
cil and  that  of  the  Ten  down  through  the  many  "sets" 
of  maggiori  and  minori  in  that  busy,  overflowing  city. 
What  a  contrast  to  all  this  was  that  conclave  of  the 
Neacademia  on  the  days  when  the  obscure  passages  of 
Aristotle,  Virgil,  and  other  ancient  authors  were  dis- 
cussed !  How  gravely  did  they  give  their  reasons  why  an 


HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS.  331 

adverb  would  better  express  the  meaning  than  an  adjec- 
tive, and  what  lengthy  arguments  were  needed  to  decide 
for  or  against  a  relative  pronoun ! 

Sadly  we  record  the  total  changes  that  came  with  the 
wars  of  the  first  decade  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Aldus, 
his  Stamperia,  his  precious  manuscripts  collected  with 
such  pain  and  care,  all  disappeared;  and  though  he 
returned  to  his  labors  with  characteristic  zeal,  he  gained 
fame  only,  and  died  poor.  He  did  not  work  for  profit. 
His  copyright  in  type,  if  we  may  use  the  word,  was  of 
little  use,  and  his  thoughts  were  bent  on  other  things 
than  money-making.  He  never  swerved  from  his  deci- 
sion, in  the  preface  to  the  Greek  Grammar,  to  devote  his 
life  to  the  good  of  mankind.  Renouard,  the  French  critic, 
tells  us  how  his  devotion  to  his  chosen  calling  became  a 
passion.  If  he  heard  of  a  manuscript  that  could  explain 
an  existing  text,  he  rested  not  until  he  got  it.  He  valued 
no  labor,  expense,  travel,  or  study  that  could  further  his 
ends,  and  it  was  wonderful  to  see  with  what  readiness  he 
was  assisted.  Some  for  money,  some  without  reward, 
and  others  for  the  same  reasons  which  influenced  him, 
gave  all  the  aid  possible  to  further  his  success;  and  from 
distant  places,  without  solicitation  from  him,  precious 
manuscripts  were  sent  for  his  advantage. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  called  Aldo  il  Giovane, 
and  his  grandson;  but  even  with  the  advances  made  in 
processes,  no  imitator  nor  rival  excelled  the  scholarly  book- 
maker, Aldo  il  Vecchio,  whose  books  are  now  among  the 
very  choicest  treasures  of  the  richest  libraries  in  the  world. 
Quoting  again  from  the  "  Makers  of  Venice, "  — 

"  Let  us  leave  Aldo  with  all  his  aids  about  him,  — the  sena- 
tors, the  schoolmasters,  the  poor  scholars,  the  learned  men  who 
were  to  live  to  be  cardinals,  and  those  who  were  to  die  as  poor 
as  they  were  famous;  and  his  learned  Greek  Musurus,  and  his 
poor  student  from  Rotterdam,  —  a  better  scholar  perhaps  than  any 


332  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

of  them,  — and  all  his  idle  visitors  coming  to  gape  and  admire, 
while  our  Sanudo  swept  round  the  corner  from  S.  Giacomo  dell' 
Orio,  with  his  vigorous  step  and  his  toga  over  his  shoulders, 
and  the  young  men  who  were  of  the  younger  faction  came  in,  a 
little  contemptuous  of  their  elders  and  strong  in  their  own 
learning,  to  the  meeting  of  the  Aldine  academy  and  the  consul- 
tation on  new  readings.  The  Stamperia  was  as  distinct  a  centre 
of  life  as  the  Piazza,  though  not  so  apparent  before  the  eyes  of 
men." 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  the  Senate  of  Venice,  in  1362, 
should  have  thought  it  worth  while  to  present  Petrarch 
with  a  palace,  that  he  might  in  return,  "  with  the  good  will 
of  our  Saviour,  and  of  the  Evangelist  himself,"  make 
Saint  Mark  the  heir  of  his  library,  and  yet  should  have 
postponed  the  beginning  of  the  building  in  which  the 
books  should  be  kept  nearly  two  centuries;  for  it  was 
not  until  1536  that  Sansovino  commenced  the  Libreria 
Vecchia,  which  Aretino  considered  superlatively  beauti- 
ful. Meantime  the  gift  of  Petrarch,  stored  in  a  small 
chamber  of  San  Marco,  was  quite  forgotten.  No  one 
lived  who  knew  its  whereabouts;  and  the  legacies  of 
Cardinal  Bessarion,  of  Cardinal  Grimani,  Contarini,  and 
Nani,  were  the  glory  of  the  library  which  Petrarch  wished 
to  found.  Not  until  1634  were  his  precious  manuscripts 
discovered.  But  a  meagre  number  could  be  saved  from 
the  mass  of  corruption  they  had  become ;  and  for  all  time 
the  neglect  and  destruction  of  these  precious  parchments 
will  remain  a  disgrace  to  Venice. 

In  1812  the  splendid  collection  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  volumes  and  ten  thousand  manuscripts 
was  transferred  to  the  more  spacious  halls  of  the  Ducal 
Palace,  leaving  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Libreria  with  its 
paintings  by  Veronese  and  Tintoretto,  and  the  row  of 
Greek  philosophers  which  look  down  from  between  the 
windows.  Ruskin  calls  these  last  the  finest  paintings  of 


HISTORIANS  AND  SCHOLARS.  333 

the  kind  in  existence.  One  of  these  is  the  Diogenes,  which 
Tintoretto  painted  with  the  greatest  care,  because  Titian 
had  told  the  Procurators  of  St.  Mark  that  Tintoretto  was 
not  worthy  to  be  employed  in  the  decoration  of  this  hall. 
But  these  officials  thought  this  a  little  severe,  and  gave 
Tintoretto  his  opportunity. 

Diogenes  is  nude  and  seated,  with  his  legs  crossed. 
One  elbow  rests  on  the  thigh,  and  the  raised  hand  sup- 
ports the  chin.  It  is  the  impersonation  of  profound 
meditation.  There  is  such  power  in  the  modelling  of  this 
figure,  and  the  light  is  so  managed,  that  it  stands  out  as 
if  it  did  not  intend  to  remain  in  the  niche  where  it  is 
placed.  Two  other  works  of  Tintoretto's  are  also  here, 
in  spite  of  the  efforts  to  deprive  him  of  the  honor.  They 
represent  the  removal  of  the  relics  of  Saint  Mark  from 
Alexandria,  and  Saint  Mark  rescuing  a  sailor. 

When,  under  Eugene  Beauharnais,  the  Procuratie 
Nuove  were  converted  into  the  Palazzo  Imperiale,  the 
Libreria  Vecchia  was  made  a  part  of  the  Palace,  and 
united  to  the  buildings  of  the  Piazza. 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

PALACES  AND   PICTURES. 

VENICE  has  no  plan.  The  canals  are  bordered  with 
edifices  that  appear  to  rest  upon  the  water;  and 
many  of  its  palaces  are  so  beautiful  that  they  seem  as 
worthy  to  have  risen  from  the  white  sea-foam  as  was 
Venus  Anadyomene  herself.  Behind  these  palaces,  wind- 
ing in  and  out  like  serpents,  are  the  calli,  which  appear 
to  begin  nowhere  and  to  lead  to  the  same  place,  twining 
now  and  then  about  the  little  campi,  which  afford  breath- 
ing-spaces on  land,  as  the  canals  do  on  the  water.  It 
would  seem  that  one  must  be  Venetian  born,  or,  forsaking 
all  others,  must  cleave  to  Venice  itself  for  better  or 
worse,  if  he  would  learn  to  thread  these  mazy  ways  with 
confidence. 

It  appears,  too,  that  this  want  of  plan  permeates  the  life 
of  Venice.  Everybody  and  everything  seem  to  be  guided 
by  the  fancy  of  the  moment.  It  is  charming  and  so 
easily  acquired,  — this  dolcefar  niente.  One  feels  it,  and 
acts  upon  it  without  realizing  it ;  it  is  inhaled  with  the 
air  itself. 

The  stranger,  when  in  the  privacy  of  his  own  apart- 
ment, makes  his  plan  for  the  morrow.  He  resolves  to 
throw  off  this  idleness;  he  will  rise  betimes  and  visit 
the  Academy,  and  later  go  to  several  churches.  He 
awakes  to  find  it  already  late,  and  by  the  time  he  steps 
into  his  gondola  he  has  forgotten  what  he  was  to  do,  and 
straightway  decides  to  go  once  more  up  the  Grand  Canal 


Ca'  d'  Oro,  on  fbe  Grand  Canal. 


PALACES  AND  PICTUKES.  335 

and  gaze  at  those  lovely  palaces,  which  can  only  be  seen 
to  advantage  in  this  way. 

Emerging  from  the  water  as  they  do,  their  reflections 
in  it  add  vastly  to  their  attractiveness,  much  of  which,  I 
fancy,  would  be  lost  did  they  rise  from  the  usual  city 
sidewalk  or  even  from  green  turf.  Doubtless  the  lofty 
horseshoe  arches  of  the  lower  arcades,  the  lightness  of 
the  open  loggie  or  pergoli,  and  the  style  of  their  decora- 
tions were  all  considered  in  regard  to  the  effect  of  their 
reflections,  as  much  as  to  that  of  the  edifices  themselves. 
Then,  too,  their  space  is  so  prescribed  that  grandeur  and 
breadth  of  design  were  not  possible,  and  must  be  replaced 
by  picturesque  effects  of  decoration  and  fancy. 

The  plan  of  the  old  palaces  of  Venice  is  much  the  same 
in  all.  They  rest  on  a  very  solid  basis  of  oaken  piles 
driven  down  until  they  meet  the  hard,  Caranto  stratum 
which  underlies  the  silt.  Larch  timbers  are  then  laid  on 
the  piles,  and  marble  slabs  in  cement  are  built  up  above 
the  water-level.  The  ground  floor  is  principally  devoted 
to  storerooms  intended  for  heavy  goods,  and  has  a  broad 
entrance  leading  to  them.  The  next  floor,  the  mezzana, 
is  the  place  of  business,  the  mercantile  portion  of  the 
establishment. 

From  the  court  the  ascent  is  made  to  the  third  floor, 
where  the  family  apartments  begin.  Many  of  the  stair- 
cases are  stately,  and  very  beautiful  in  their  ornamenta- 
tion. They  lead  to  the  principal  saloon  or  drawing-room 
of  the  house.  Frequently  these  palaces  are  built  with  a 
central  portion,  with  wings  on  each  side.  The  great  saloon 
occupies  the  whole  of  the  central  part,  having  on  its  front 
the  loggia,  overlooking  the  canal.  On  each  side  are 
smaller  rooms.  The  next  floor  is  less  lofty,  and  has  a 
spacious  kitchen,  besides  several  sleeping-apartments. 
Still  above  these  are  garrets  and  store-closets,  close  under 
the  roof. 


336  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  principal  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  the  palaces 
of  Venice  in  these  days  is  found  by  gazing  at  them  while 
floating  up  and  down  the  Canalezzo  at  various  hours  of 
the  day,  noting  the  exquisite  effects  of  light  and  shade  at 
morning,  midday,  and  evening,  especially  the  latter 
when  there  is  a  brilliant  moonlight.  Few  of  them  now 
contain  much  that  one  cares  to  see,  and  few,  indeed,  have 
been  kept  up  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  anything  but  depress- 
ing. Those  that  are  open  to  strangers  are  filled  with  the 
atmosphere  of  "the  banquet-hall  deserted."  But  all  must 
agree  with  Ruskin  in  what  he  says  of  their  exteriors :  — 

"The  charm  which  Venice  still  possesses,  and  which  for  the 
last  fifty  years  has  made  it  the  favorite  haunt  of  all  the  painters 
of  picturesque  subjects,  is  owing  to  the  effect  of  the  Gothic  pal- 
aces, mingled  with  those  of  the  Renaissance. 

"The  effect  is  produced  in  two  different  ways.  The  Renais- 
sance palaces  are  not  more  picturesque  in  themselves  than  the 
club-houses  of  Pall  Mall;  but  they  become  delightful  by  the 
contrast  of  their  severity  and  refinement  with  the  rich  and  rude 
confusion  of  the  sea  life  beneath  them,  and  of  their  white  and 
solid  masonry  with  the  green  waves.  Remove  from  beneath 
them  the  orange  sails  of  the  fishing-boats,  tbe  black  gliding  of 
tbe  gondolas,  the  cumbered  decks  and  rough  crews  of  the  barges 
of  traffic,  and  the  fretfulness  of  tbe  green  water  along  tbeir 
foundations,  and  the  Renaissance  palaces  possess  no  more  inter- 
est than  those  of  London  or  Paris.  But  the  Gothic  palaces  are 
picturesque  in  themselves,  and  wield  over  us  an  independent 
power.  Sea  and  sky  and  every  other  accessory  might  be  taken 
away  from  them,  and  still  they  would  be  beautiful  and  strange." 

Perhaps  the  Palazzo  Vendramin  Calergi  is  the  most 
interesting  of  the  Renaissance  palaces,  because  it  is  well 
kept  up,  and  its  garden,  with  white  statues  and  gilded 
railings,  which  are  reflected  in  the  water,  adds  much  to 
the  cheerfulness  of  its  whole  effect.  It  is  more  than  four 
centuries  old,  and  was  built  by  Santi  Lombardo  for 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  337 

Andrea  Loredan.  A  century  later  it  was  bought  by  the 
Duke  of  Brunswick,  and  then  by  the  Duke  of  Mantua ;  but 
some  legal  quibbles  made  it  necessary  to  sell  it  again, 
and  since  1589  it  has  been  in  the  families  Calerghi  and 
Grimani,  has  been  owned  by  the  Duchesse  de  Berri  and 
the  Comte  de  Chambord,  as  well  as  the  Duca  della  Grazira. 

If  some  imitator  of  Sanudo  could  have  kept  the  annals 
of  these  four  hundred  years  in  this  house,  their  interest 
and  variety  would  have  been  fascinating.  Palma  Giovane 
painted  a  frieze  there,  representing  the  Triumph  of  Caesar ; 
and  the  furnishing  and  pictures  have  been  very  attractive, 
perhaps  all  the  more  so  for  the  reason  that  there  have 
usually  been  some  paintings  and  artistic  objects  for  sale. 

The  Palazzi  Farsetti  and  Loredan,  separated  by  the 
Traghetto  di  San  Luca,  are  very  interesting.  The  Loredan 
dates  from  the  twelfth  century,  while  the  Farsetti  is  in 
the  Byzantine-Lombard  style  of  that  period,  its  front 
having  been  made  from  the  pillars  and  columns  of  an 
older  edifice.  These  palaces  are  now  used  for  municipal 
offices.  In  the  Farsetti,  Canova  first  studied  his  art,  and 
on  the  staircase  are  some  of  his  earlier  works. 

The  Palazzo  Loredan  is  one  of  the  few  really  old  edi- 
fices in  the  Byzantine-Gothic  style.  It  is  this  architecture 
that  gives  the  unusual,  fairy-like,  and  mysterious  impres- 
sions which  all  artists  get  from  Venetian  exteriors;  and 
the  central  arcade  of  the  Loredan  is  a  precious  example 
of  it.  Ruskin  says :  "  Though  not  conspicuous,  and  often 
passed  with  neglect,  it  will  be  felt  at  last,  by  all  who 
examine  it  carefully,  to  be  the  most  beautiful  palace  in 
the  whole  extent  of  the  Grand  Canal."  The  arms  of 
Peter  V.  Lusignan  are  above  the  entrance  and  windows. 
This  king  of  Cyprus  lived  here  early  in  the  fourteenth 
century  as  the  guest  of  Federigo  Corner  Piscopia;  and 
here  Elena  Cornaro  Piscopia  was  born. 

If  one  really  lives  in  Venice,  and  has  leisure  to  seek 


338  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

for  them,  there  are  enchanting  bits  of  architecture, 
sculpture,  and  painting  which  are  quite  unknown  to  the 
usual  tourist.  In  Palazzo  Contarini  and  Palazzo  Bembo 
alia  Celestia  there  are  admirable  staircases  in  the  court- 
yards, and  other  details  from  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth 
centuries.  In  Palazzo  Sina  (formerly  Grassi),  a  modern 
edifice,  there  is  a  noble  staircase,  its  walls  being  deco- 
rated with  a  representation  of  the  Carnival  of  1745.  The 
portraits  of  the  family  are  looking  over  the  balustrades. 

Behind  the  Church  of  San  Gian  Crisostoino,  in  the 
Corte  del  Milione,  is  the  remnant  of  the  Palazzo  del  Poli, 
the  house  in  which  Marco  Polo  first  saw  the  light,  in 
1259,  and  where  he  died  in  1323.  It  dates  from  the 
twelfth  century,  and  in  the  little  that  remains  of  it  one 
sees  enough  to  admire  to  make  it  a  matter  of  regret  that 
so  much  is  lost. 

The  little  Marco  was  but  a  year  old  when  his  father, 
Niccolo,  and  his  uncle  Matteo  started  on  their  first  great 
journey,  which  extended  to  the  city  of  the  powerful  Kublai 
Khan.  They  returned,  having  seen  many  marvellous 
things,  and  again  left  Venice  to  repeat  their  travels,  tak- 
ing Marco  with  them  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old.  All 
knowledge  of  them  was  lost  for  many  years.  The  Casa 
Poli  was  filled  with  kinsmen  who  knew  little  of  those  who 
had  gone  away  more  than  twenty  years  before,  when  sud- 
denly, one  evening  in  1295,  three  strange  figures  appeared 
at  the  gate. 

They  were  in  Tartar  garb,  their  hair  and  beards  were 
long,  and  their  skins  dark  from  exposure,  while  their 
curious  speech  was  most  un-Venetian.  We  are  told  that 
the  doorway  through  which  we  pass  to-day  in  the  Corte 
della  Sabbionera,  with  its  Byzantine  arch,  and  the  cross 
above  it,  is  the  very  same  at  which  the  travellers  knocked. 
At  first  they  were  not  believed  to  be  the  Poli;  and  a 
great  excitement  was  aroused,  not  only  in  Palazzo  Poli, 


Dario  Palace,  on  the  Grand  Canal. 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  339 

but  through  all  the  neighboring  quarter  as  well,  and  it 
seemed  for  a  while  very  doubtful  if  they  could  ever  come 
to  their  own  again. 

But  at  last  they  hit  upon  a  plan  by  which  they  could 
prove  themselves  to  be  the  Poll  by  their  peculiar  conduct. 
They  invited  all  their  relatives  to  a  magnificent  banquet, 
and  when  the  time  arrived,  — 

"the  three  came  out  of  their  chamber  dressed  in  long  robes 
of  crimson  satin,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  time,  which 
touched  the  ground.  And  when  water  had  been  offered  for  their 
hands,  they  placed  their  guests  at  table,  and  then  taking  off 
their  satin  robes  put  on  rich  damask  of  the  same  color,  ordering 
in  the  mean  while  that  the  first  should  be  divided  among  the 
servants.  Then  after  eating  something  [no  doubt,  a  first  course], 
they  rose  from  table  and  again  changed  their  dress,  putting  on 
crimson  velvet,  and  giving  as  before  the  damask  robes  to  the 
servants ;  and  at  the  end  of  the  repast  they  did  the  same  with 
the  velvet,  putting  on  garments  of  ordinary  cloth  such  as  their 
guests  wore.  The  persons  invited  were  struck  dumb  with  as- 
tonishment at  these  proceedings.  And  when  the  servants  had 
left  the  hall,  Messer  Marco,  the  youngest,  rising  from  the 
table,  went  into  his  chamber  and  brought  out  the  three  coarse 
cloth  surcoats  in  which  they  had  come  home.  And  immediately 
the  three  began  with  sharp  knives  to  cut  open  the  seams  and 
tear  off  the  lining,  upon  which  there  poured  forth  a  great  quan- 
tity of  precious  stones,  rubies,  sapphires,  carbuncles,  diamonds, 
and  emeralds,  which  had  been  sewed  into  each  coat  with  great 
care,  so  that  nobody  could  have  suspected  that  anything  was 
there.  For  on  parting  with  the  Great  Khan  they  had  changed 
all  the  wealth  he  bestowed  upon  them  into  precious  stones, 
knowing  certainly  that  if  they  had  done  otherwise  they  never 
could  by  so  long  and  difficult  a  road  have  brouglit  their  property 
home  in  safety.  The  exhibition  of  such  an  extraordinary  and 
infinite  treasure  of  jewels  and  precious  stones,  which  covered  the 
table,  once  more  filled  all  present  with  such  astonishment  that 
they  were  dumb  and  almost  beside  themselves  with  surprise; 


340  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

and  they  at  once  recognized  these  honored  and  venerated  gen- 
tlemen of  the  Ca'  Polo,  whom  at  first  they  had  doubted,  and 
received  them  with  the  greatest  honor  and  reverence." 

The  news  soon  spread  all  over  Venice,  and  the  Poli 
were  besieged  with  visitors.  The  eldest,  Matteo,  was 
created  a  magistrate,  and  Marco  was  put  forward  to  tell 
the  story  of  their  wanderings  in  answer  to  the  many  ques- 
tions which  were  asked  of  them ;  and  as  he  constantly  told 
of  millions  as  the  revenue  of  the  Great  Khan,  and  of  mil- 
lions on  millions  as  the  wealth  of  Cathay,  he  came  to  be 
called  Marco  Milione.  This  sounds  like  a  derisive  title, 
and  doubtless  was  so  at  first;  but  it  was  a  most  reputable 
one  later,  especially  after  Marco  Polo  had  contributed 
large  sums  towards  fitting  out  a  fleet  to  oppose  the 
Genoese,  and  himself  went  to  the  war,  the  results  of 
which,  as  concerned  him,  have  already  been  related. 
There  is  a  puzzle  to  me  in  the  foregoing  tale :  Why  did 
the  possession  of  their  treasures  prove  the  three  men  to 
be  the  Poli  ? 

It  goes  without  saying  that  in  historic  interest  all  other 
Venetian  palaces  fade  away  when  compared  with  the 
Palazzo  Ducale,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  played  its  part 
in  all  affairs  of  importance  in  Venice,  since  it  was  not 
only  the  residence  of  the  Doge,  but  the  place  in  which 
the  councils  were  held,  and  all  momentous  matters  of 
the  State  decided.  It  was  the  scene  alike  of  the  gayest 
festivities  and  of  the  most  heart-rending  tragedies.  The 
splendid  ball  might  be  at  its  merriest  in  one  grand  saloon 
at  the  moment  when  the  Ten  in  their  Sala  were  decreeing 
the  death  of  one  of  the  dancers,  and  another  of  their  sen- 
tences was  being  executed  at  the  prison  near  by,  where 
"  most  nights  arrived  the  prison  boat,  that  boat  with  many 
oars,  and  bore  away  as  to  the  Lower  World. " 

This  palace  is  to-day  a  great  library  and  picture-gal- 
lery, in  which  the  pictures  that  reproduce  the  great  events 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  341 

in  the  history  of  the  Republic  are  of  a  value  that  cannot 
be  over-estimated.  The  masters  here  represented  by 
religious  and  mythological  subjects  can  be  studied  in 
other  Italian  and  European  galleries;  but  here,  in  the 
very  halls  where  the  wars,  the  embassies,  and  the  pageants 
of  Venice  were  decreed,  they  have  been  pictured  upon  the 
walls  most  fittingly,  by  the  great  masters  of  the  flowering 
period  of  Venetian  Art. 

In  the  Sala  della  Bussola,  where  was  the  inner  opening 
of  the  Lion's  Mouth,  into  which  the  cowardly,  secret 
denunciations,  to  the  Ten  were  dropped,  are  pictures  of 
the  "  Surrender  of  Bergamo  "  and  of  Brescia  to  the 
Venetians.  They  are  the  work  of  Aliense  (or  Antonio) 
Vassilacchi,  and  like  other  pictures  by  him,  in  various 
portions  of  the  palace,  are  affected,  bizarre,  and  sometimes 
extravagant  in  their  characteristics,  but  most  interesting 
by  reason  of  their  subjects. 

The  Sala  delle  Quattro  Porte  is  adorned  by  paintings  of 
the  "Capture  of  Verona,"  in  1439,  by  Giovanni  Contarini, 
who  may  be  described  in  a  word  as  an  expert  imitator  of 
Titian. 

"  The  Arrival  of  Henry  III.  at  Venice  "  is  also  of  inter- 
est, although  its  painter,  Andrea  Vicentino,  is  an  artist 
who  merits  attention  and  adverse  criticism  at  the  same 
time.  This  is  his  masterpiece.  The  Doge  Mocenigo 
receives  the  King  of  France  and  Poland  on  a  bridge  which 
leads  to  Palladio's  famous  Triumphal  Arch,  erected  in 
honor  of  this  royal  visitor.  There  are  many  portraits  of 
famous  men.  Near  the  king  on  the  right  are  the  Cardinal 
San  Sisto,  Paolo  Tiepolo,  and  Jacopo  Foscarini,  procura- 
tors of  St.  Mark,  and  other  gentlemen,  besides  the  pilot 
of  the  royal  galley,  Antonio  Canale,  whom  the  King  of 
France  embraced  and  knighted  on  this  occasion. 

"The  Reception  of  the  Persian  Ambassadors  by  the 
Doge  "  is  noteworthy,  because  it  is  the  work  of  Carl  (or 


342  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

Carletto)  Cagliari,  the  son  of  Paul  Veronese.  His  father, 
not  wishing  the  son  to  be  merely  his  own  imitator,  had 
placed  him  in  the  studio  of  Jacopo  Bassano;  and  at  one 
time  the  young  man  spent  some  months  on  his  father's 
Trevisan  estate,  sketching  from  Nature,  and  introducing 
animajp  and  shepherds  into  his  landscapes. 

He  was  but  sixteen  when  his  father  died,  and  he  lived 
but  eight  years  after,  having  overworked,  and  dying  from 
the  consequent  exhaustion.  His  pictures  display  a  feel- 
ing for  the  picturesque,  and  some  of  his  heads  are  admira- 
ble ;  but  the  inimitable  grace,  brilliancy,  and  gayety  of  his 
father  are  not  his,  while  his  composition  is  much  colder. 

This  is  impressed  on  us  when  in  the  next  Sala,  the 
Anticollegio,  we  come  upon  the  "Rape  of  Europa,"  which 
Gautier  calls  "the  marvel  of  this  sanctuary  of  Art"  And 
finally  he  exclaims:  "What  beautiful  white  shoulders, 
what  round  and  charming  arms!  What  a  smile  of  eternal 
youth  is  in  this  marvellous  canvas  where  Paul  Veronese 
seems  to  have  said  his  last  word!  The  heavens,  clouds, 
trees,  flowers,  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  carnations,  drape- 
ries, all  seem  to  be  steeped  in  the  light  of  an  unknown 
Elysium." 

In  the  Sala  del  Collegio,  Veronese  appears  in  a  far  dif- 
ferent manner.  Above  the  throne  where  sat  the  Doge 
and  the  Privy  Councillors  when  receiving  foreign  ambas- 
sadors, is  a  representation  of  Venice  triumphant  after  the 
Victory  of  Lepanto  in  1571.  The  portraits  of  the  hero  of 
the  battle,  the  Doge  Sebastiano  Venier,  and  of  Agostino 
Barbarigo,  who  perished  there,  are  introduced  It  is  a 
grand  picture,  but  confused;  for  besides  the  figures  we 
have  mentioned  are  those  of  the  Saviour  in  glory,  Faith, 
Saints  Mark  and  Justine,  and  other  subordinate  person- 
ages, and  these  are  massed  in  the  centre  of  the  canvas. 
He  certainly  was  an  astounding  painter.  We  must  not 
think  of  his  curious  mingling  of  people  who  would  seem- 


Sala  del  Collegia;  Motive  Picture  of  tbe  Bat  lie  of 
Lepanto,  by  Veronese. 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  343 

ingly  never  be  associated  either  on  earth  or  in  heaven; 
we  must  not  note  his  improprieties  of  chronology,  cos- 
tume, and  place ;  we  must  but  feast  on  his  dignified  and 
splendid  crowds,  — his  light,  his  color,  and,  on  the  whole, 
in  its  general  effect,  now  so  mellowed  and  harmonized  by 
time.  Who  can  resist  his  charm  ? 

The  Sala  del  Senato  is  also  called  dei  Pregardi,  because 
in  the  early  times,  before  Wednesday  and  Saturday  were 
fixed  upon  as  the  days  for  the  meeting  of  the  Senate, 
messengers  were  sent  to  pray  the  Senators  to  attend  at 
the  palace.  It  is  principally  decorated  with  religious 
subjects,  and  the  centre  of  the  ceiling  is  occupied  by 
Tintoretto's  conception  of  "Venice  as  Queen  of  the  Sea;" 
but  the  historical  pictures  of  the  "  Election  of  S.  Lorenzo 
Giustiniani  as  Patriarch  of  Venice,"  by  Marco  Vecelli, 
and  the  "League  of  Cambray,"  by  Palma  Giovane,  are 
attractive,  although  one  can  scarcely  understand  why 
"  Venice  seated  on  a  lion  and  daring  all  Europe  "  should 
be  chosen  to  represent  the  Republic  just  at  that  epoch, 
when  she  was  at  the  mercy  of  other  powers,  and  for  a 
time  quite  helpless.  To  Art  in  Venice  this  league  was 
almost  fatal,  since  the  patrons  of  artists  were  forced  to 
give  their  attention  and  money  to  the  affairs  of  the  State, 
and  the  painters  were  forced  to  seek  other  cities  where 
peace  permitted  them  to  gain  a  livelihood.  Even  Titian 
left  his  beloved  Venezia,  and  went  to  Padua,  where  he 
was  fully  occupied. 

Passing  through  the  Ante-Chapel  and  the  Chapel,  in 
which  there  is  little  of  interest,  we  reach  a  staircase  lead- 
ing to  the  private  apartments  of  the  Doge,  at  the  foot  of 
which  is  the  only  fresco  known  to  have  been  painted  by 
Titian,  which  remains  in  Venice,  and  is  only  shown  by 
special  permission  of  the  Conxervatorio.  It  is  most  care- 
fully painted,  and  represents  Saint  Christopher,  who  is  of 
a  splendid  Venetian  type.  The  head  of  the  saint  is  noble ; 


344  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

while  the  child  is  like  an  inferior  earthly  baby,  and 
appears  to  be  in  great  fear  of  falling.  Tradition  teaches 
that  this  was  painted  in  honor  of  the  arrival  of  the  French 
at  San  Cristoforo,  near  Milan,  in  1523.  Titian's  patron, 
the  Doge  Andrea  Gritti,  was  very  fond  of  the  French,  and 
at  his  election  the  French  ambassador  at  Venice  made 
great  feasts  in  his  honor.  Had  a  patron  saint  of  France 
been  represented,  it  would  have  caused  comment,  perhaps 
suspicion  of  the  Doge;  therefore  Saint  Christopher  was 
chosen. 

In  the  Sala  del  Consiglio  dei  Dieci  is  the  "  Meeting  of 
Alexander  III.  and  the  Doge  Ziani  on  his  Return  from 
his  Victory  over  Barbarossa,"  by  Leandro  Bassano.  This 
remarkable  portrait-painter  had  here  a  great  opportunity 
to  show  his  skill,  and  he  improved  it  The  figures  are 
evidently  painted  from  life,  and  well  present  the  patri- 
cians of  his  time,  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  and  the 
beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  Doge  Marino 
Grimani  figures  as  Ziani  in  this  canvas,  and  in  the 
suite  of  the  Pope  Leandro  has  given  us  his  own  por- 
trait He  is  ordinary  in  type.  His  thick  black  hair 
rises  above  a  receding  forehead,  and  his  commonplace 
head  and  whole  bearing  suggest  the  peasant  in  a  borrowed 
garb.  He  carries  the  umbrella  behind  the  Pope. 

On  the  opposite  wall  is  the  "  Congress  at  Bologna,  in 
1529,  which  concurred  in  the  Peace  between  Clement  VII. 
and  Charles  V.,"  by  Marco  Vecelli.  It  represents  the 
whole  assemblage ;  and  while  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the 
Emperor  reads  the  treaty,  a  Dominican  is  making  an 
address,  drums  are  beaten  and  trumpets  sounded,  and  in 
the  distance  two  cavaliers  are  riding  a  tournament,  lances 
in  hand.  Charles  Blanc  happily  suggests  that  it  is  fortu- 
nate that  painting  is  dumb,  when  so  many  noises  are 
represented.  Curious  and  incoherent  as  this  picture  is, 
it  is  full  of  life  and  movement,  and  is  interesting  in 


PALACES  AJJD  PICTURES.  345 

its    costumes   of    cardinals,    bishops,    pontifical    guards, 
ambassadors,   and  pages. 

Naturally  the  immense  Sala  del  Maggior  Consiglio  is  of 
the  greatest  interest.  It  is  now  the  Bibliotheca  di  San 
Marco  or  Marciana,  the  books  having  been  brought  here 
in  1812.  The  decorations  are  unchanged  since  the  days 
of  the  Republic,  and  the  same  magnificent  works  of  art 
which  surrounded  the  meetings  of  the  Great  Council  make 
a  fitting  setting  for  the  treasures  of  the  Library.  This 
hall  was  burned  out  in  1577,  three  years  after  the  great 
banquet  to  Henry  III.  had  been  given  here ;  and  thus  the 
present  paintings  are  by  the  later  Venetian  masters. 
The  ceiling  is  very  important,  having  been  painted  by 
Tintoretto,  Palma  Giovane,  and  Paul  Veronese,  whose 
"  Triumph  of  Venice "  far  surpasses  the  works  of  the 
other  two  masters.  I  know  of  no  description  of  this 
picture  which  can  be  compared  with  that  of  Taine,  who 
says :  — 

"This  work  is  not  merely  food  for  the  eye,  but  a  feast. 
Amidst  grand  architectural  forms  of  balconies  and  spiral  col- 
umns sits  Venice,  the  blonde,  on  a  throne,  radiant  with  beauty, 
with  that  fresh  and  rosy  carnation  peculiar  to  the  daughters  of 
humid  climates,  her  silken  skirt  spread  out  beneath  a  silken 
mantle.  Around  her  a  circle  of  young  women  bend  over  with 
a  voluptuous  and  yet  haughty  smile,  possessing  that  Venetian 
charm  peculiar  to  a  goddess  who  has  a  courtesan's  blood  in  her 
veins,  but  who  rests  on  a  cloud  and  attracts  men  to  her  instead 
of  descending  to  them.  Thrown  into  relief  against  pale  violet 
draperies  and  mantles  of  azure  and  gold,  their  living  flesh,  their 
backs  and  shoulders,  are  impregnated  with  light  or  swim  in 
the  penumbra,  the  soft  roundness  of  their  nudity  harmonizing 
with  the  tranquil  gayety  of  their  attitudes  and  features.  Venice 
in  their  midst,  ostentatious  and  yet  gentle,  seems  like  a  queen 
whose  mere  rank  gives  the  right  to  be  happy,  and  whose  only 
desire  is  to  render  those  who  see  her  happy  also.  On  her  se- 
rene head,  which  is  thrown  slightly  backwards,  two  angels  place 


346  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

a  crown.  What  a  miserable  instrumentality  is  language!  A 
tone  of  satiny  flesh,  a  luminous  shadow  on  a  bare  shoulder,  a 
nickering  light  on  floating  silk,  attract,  recall,  and  retain  the 
eye  for  a  long  time,  and  yet  there  is  but  a  vague  phrase  with 
which  to  express  the  charm.  .  .  .  Beneath  the  ideal  sky  and 
behind  a  balustrade  are  Venetian  ladies  in  the  costume  of  the 
time,  in  low-neck  dresses  cut  square  and  closely  fitting  the  body. 
It  is  actual  society,  and  is  as  seductive  as  the  goddess.  They 
are  gazing,  leaning  over  and  smiling;  the  light  which  illumi- 
nates portions  of  their  clothes  and  faces  falls  on  them  or  diffuses 
itself  in  such  exquisite  contrasts  that  one  is  moved  with  trans- 
ports of  delight.  At  one  time  a  brow,  at  another  a  delicate  ear 
or  a  necklace  or  a  pearl,  issues  from  the  warm  shadow.  One,  in 
the  flower  of  youth,  has  the  archest  of  looks;  another,  about 
forty  and  amply  developed,  glances  upward  and  smiles  in  the 
best  possible  humor.  This  one  —  a  superb  creature,  with  red 
sleeves  striped  with  gold  —  stoops,  and  her  swelling  breasts  ex- 
pand the  chemise  of  her  bodice.  A  little  blond,  curly-headed 
girl  in  the  arms  of  an  old  woman  raises  her  charming  little  hand 
with  the  most  mutinous  air,  and  her  fresh  little  visage  is  a  rose. 
There  is  not  one  who  is  not  happy  in  living,  and  who  is  not 
merely  cheerful,  but  joyous.  And  how  well  these  rumpled, 
changeable  silks,  these  white,  diaphanous  pearls  accord  with 
these  transparent  tints,  as  delicate  as  the  petals  of  flowers! 
Away  below,  finally,  is  the  restless  activity  of  the  sturdy, 
noisy  crowd;  warriors,  prancing  horses,  grand  flowing  togas,  a 
trumpeter  bedizened  with  drapery,  a  man's  naked  back  near  a 
cuirass,  and  in  the  intervals,  a  dense  throng  of  vigorous  and 
animated  heads,  and  in  one  corner  a  young  mother  and  her  in- 
fant; all  these  objects  being  disposed  with  the  facility  of  opu- 
lent genius,  and  all  illuminated  like  the  sea  in  summer,  with 
superabundant  sunshine.  All  this  is  what  one  should  bear  away 
with  him  in  order  to  retain  an  idea  of  Venice.  ...  I  got  some 
one  to  show  me  the  way  to  the  public  garden;  after  such  a  pic- 
ture one  can  only  contemplate  natural  objects." 

The  only  unbroken  wall  in  this  Great  Hall  is  occupied 
by  the  "Paradiso"  of  Tintoretto,  in  some  respects  the 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  347 

greatest  of  modern  pictures;  while  the  remaining  wall- 
spaces  are  filled  with  twelve  pictures  illustrating  the  story 
of  Pope  Alexander  and  Barbarossa,  and  nine  others  of 
scenes  connected  with  the  Fourth  Crusade.  These  splen- 
did paintings  are  among  the  earliest  which  were  executed 
on  large  canvases,  and  for  that  reason  are  important  in 
the  History  of  Art,  while  they  bear  witness  to  the  wealth 
and  generosity  of  the  Republic  at  the  time  when  they 
were  painted.  Much  blackened  by  age  as  they  are,  and 
often  villanously  repainted,  they  are  still  a  worthy  study 
for  the  art  student  for  many  reasons. 

Carlo  and  Gabriele  Cagliari  represented  two  scenes  in 
the  earliest  period  of  the  association  of  the  Pope  and  the 
Doge  Ziani.  In  the  first  the  Doge  and  the  Senators  have 
found  the  Pope  in  the  Convent  of  La  Carita,  where 
Alexander  took  refuge  from  Barbarossa  in  1177.  This 
convent,  now  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  is  on  the  Grand 
Canal ;  and  not  only  are  the  Senators  and  a  crowd  of  peo- 
ple represented  as  surrounding  the  two  principal  person- 
ages, but  there  are  fishermen  in  their  boats,  with  baskets 
full  of  fish,  a  group  of  people  in  a  gondola,  and  other 
figures  which  add  much  to  the  life  and  movement  of  the 
scene.  The  Pope  is  habited  like  a  poor  priest,  in  order 
that  he  may  the  better  conceal  his  personality. 

The  second  is  a  much  smaller  composition,  divided  by 
columns.  On  one  side  there  is  light;  on  the  other, 
shadow.  The  subject  is  the  "  Embassy  from  the  Pope  and 
the  Republic  to  Frederick  II.  at  Pavia. "  The  groups  are 
animated,  and  the  costumes  varied,  as  senators,  soldiers, 
and  priests  are  all  represented. 

Above  a  window  Leandro  Bassano  has  painted  a  picture 
of  "the  Doge  receiving  a  lighted  taper  from  the  Pope/* 
commemorating  this  act  which  conferred  on  all  future 
Doges  the  privilege  of  having  a  taper  borne  before  them. 

The  fourth,  by  Jacopo  Tintoretto,  presents  the  scene  at 


348  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

Pavia,  when  Barbarossa  declares  that  if  the  Pope  is  not 
surrendered  to  him,  he  will  "plant  his  eagles  above  the 
portal  of  San  Marco."  Both  the  good  and  the  bad  in 
Tintoretto's  manner  are  displayed  in  this  work,  but 
the  figures  of  the  two  ambassadors  are  admirable.  The 
more  his  pictures  are  studied,  the  better  is  the  saying  of 
the  Venetians  understood,  "There  are  three  Tintorettos, 
—  one  of  bronze,  a  second  of  silver,  and  a  third  of  gold." 

The  fifth  painting,  by  Francesco  Bassano,  represents 
"  the  Pope  presenting  a  consecrated  sword  to  the  Doge. " 
It  is  a  most  interesting  study,  it  being  a  representation  of 
the  Piazza  as  it  appeared  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. The  scene  is  actually  in  the  Piazzetta,  between  the 
landing  and  the  column  of  the  Lion.  In  perspective,  on 
one  side  the  Ducal  Palace  appears,  and  on  the  other  the 
Campanile  and  the  angle  of  the  Procuratorie,  while  in 
the  distance  is  the  Clock-Tower.  The  Piazza  is  full  of 
people.  Priests  in  fine  vestments,  Senators  in  their 
robes,  soldiers  with  nodding  plumes  in  their  hats,  trum- 
peters and  drummers,  all  witness  the  ceremony.  The 
Doge,  wearing  the  ducal  crown,  in  his  crimson  velvet 
dress,  beneath  the  mantle  of  the  cloth  of  gold,  is  most 
impressive,  as  he  slightly  bends  his  knee  when  receiving 
the  sword. 

Francesco  Bassano  excelled  in  giving  an  air  of  reality 
to  his  paintings,  and  in  his  aptness  in  invention;  and 
while  this  scene  actually  occurred  in  1172,  he  has  sur- 
rounded it  with  the  Piazza  of  four  centuries  later,  which 
greatly  adds  to  its  value  for  us,  —  he  wrought  better  than 
he  knew. 

Above  a  window  Fiammingo  painted  "The  Doge  receiv- 
ing the  Parting  Benediction  of  the  Pope; "  and  next  that 
is  the  "Battle  of  Salboro,"  in  which  Otho,  the  son  of 
Barbarossa,  was  taken  prisoner.  This  is  the  work  of 
Domenico  Tintoretto,  who  showed  himself  at  his  best, 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  349 

and  seemed  a  worthy  son  of  his  father,  in  his  pictures  of 
naval  battles.  When  we  are  told  that  the  battle  of 
Salboro  was  never  fought,  and  that  the  whole  story  is  but 
a  piece  of  Venetian  boasting,  it  is  impossible  to  feel  the 
same  interest  in  the  work  that  a  representation  of  a  well- 
attested  fact  would  arouse ;  but  this  does  not  prevent  the 
study  of  the  details  of  costume,  armor,  and  naval  equip- 
ments, which  are  very  curious. 

Above  a  door  Andrea  Vicentino  painted  a  picture  of 
"  The  Doge  presenting  Prince  Otho  to  the  Pope ; "  and  in 
the  next  scene  Palma  Giovane  represented  the  "  Release 
of  Otho  by  the  Pope."  After  Veronese  and  Tintoretto, 
and  among  the  secondary  artists  who  were  honored  by 
commissions  in  the  decoration  of  the  Ducal  Palace,  Palma 
Giovane  may  well  claim  attention.  Domenico  Tintoretto 
alone  rivals  him  in  their  class.  He  was  skilful  in 
design,  but  lacked  sentiment  and  intensity  of  spirit.  He 
knew  all  the  optical  effects  in  painting.  He  used  his 
brush  dexterously.  He  had  studied  and  copied  from 
Michael  Angelo  until  he  had  mastered  foreshortening. 
He  handled  his  colors  after  Titian's  manner.  In  short,  he 
only  lacked  soul,  in  order  to  have  been  a  great  painter. 
But  through  the  friendship  and  influence  of  Alexander 
Vittoria  he  became  the  fashion,  and  his  pictures  are  seen 
in  all  the  churches,  and  other  edifices  of  honor  in  Venice, 
as  well  as  in  many  galleries  of  the  chief  cities  of  Italy, 
and  other  European  countries.  His  drawings  and  engrav- 
ings were  much  valued,  and  were  sold  for  nearly  as  large 
sums  as  were  paid  for  his  pictures  in  oil. 

"  The  Emperor  submitting  to  the  Pope"  affords  one  of 
the  most  interesting  scenes  and  best  artistic  opportunities 
in  the  series.  It  is  by  Federigo  Zucchero,  who  was  by 
no  means  a  great  artist ;  yet  this  work  is  very  attractive. 

Above  another  door  Girolamo  Gamberato  painted  "  The 
Doge  landing  at  Ancona  with  the  Pope  and  the  Emperor 


350  THE  QUEEN   OF  THE   ADRIATIC. 

after  the  Reconciliation."  Tradition  teaches  that  on  this 
occasion  the  people  of  Ancona  came  out  to  meet  their 
visitors  bringing  umbrellas  or  canopies  for  the  Pope  and 
the  Emperor  only,  and  Alexander  ordered  a  third  to  be 
brought  for  Ziani,  who,  under  God,  had  been  the  means 
of  establishing  this  peace. 

The  series  ends  with  the  scene  in  St.  John  Late  ran  in 
Rome,  when  "Pope  Alexander  III.  presents  consecrated 
banners  to  the  Doge  Ziani."  It  is  the  work  of  Giulio  did 
Moro,  and  so  badly  done  that  it  merits  no  attention  here 
nor  when  one  stands  beneath  it.  We  need  not  be  sur- 
prised when  we  remember  that  this  "  Jack  at  all  trades  " 
signed  himself  "painter,  sculptor,  and  architect." 

Of  the  pictures  of  the  Fourth  Crusade,  the  first  is  by  Le 
Clerc,  and  represents  the  scene  in  San  Marco,  in  1201, 
when  the  alliance  was  concluded  between  the  Venetians  and 
the  Crusaders,  —  a  most  interesting  subject,  which  should 
have  been  treated  by  a  greater  master.  The  second,  by 
Andrea  Vicentino,  is  the  "Siege  of  Zara;"  and  next, 
above  a  window,  the  "Surrender  of  Zara,"  by  Domenico 
Tintoretto,  which  is  followed  by  "Alexius  Comnenus 
imploring  the  Help  of  the  Venetians  for  his  Father,"  by 
Andrea  Vicentino. 

Domenico  Tintoretto  represents  the  "Second  Taking 
of  Constantinople,  in  1204."  "The  Election  and  Coro- 
nation of  Baldwin  "  follow,  by  Andrea  Vicentino  and 
Aliense,  and  close  the  story  of  this  Crusade,  the  final 
space  being  filled  by  Paul  Veronese's  representation  of 
"The  Return  of  Doge  Contarini  after  the  Defeat  of  the 
Genoese  at  Chioggia." 

The  frieze  of  this  Hall  of  the  Great  Council  is  com- 
posed of  the  portraits  of  seventy-two  Doges.  The  reign 
of  the  earliest  dates  from  809;  and  many  of  them  must, 
of  course,  have  been  painted  from  fancy.  A  large  number 
are  from  the  hand  of  Tintoretto.  The  space  where  the 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  351 

portrait  of  Marino  Faliero  should  have  hung  is  covered 
with  a  black  veil,  and  has  the  inscription,  "  Hie  est  locus 
Marini  Falethri  decapitati  pro  criminibus  "  (This  is  the 
place  of  Marino  Faliero,  beheaded  for  his  crimes). 

What  a  world  of  associations  must  rush  through  the 
mind  as  one  traverses  the  halls  of  this  magnificent  palace ! 
What  scenes  of  splendid  gayety  are  called  up  by  the  pic- 
tures of  the  luxurious  and  splendor-loving  men  and  women 
of  the  Republic !  And  then,  when  reading  this  inscription, 
we  recall  that  other  scene,  the  tragic  extreme ;  and  between 
these  two  types  of  association  there  are  hundreds  of  others, 
which  fill  the  distance  between  them  with  every  shade  of 
sentiment  from  "grave  to  gay."  But  just  here  we  can 
only  remember  that  "the  Council  of  Ten  was  hastily 
summoned.  The  minor  conspirators  were  first  executed. 
Then  the  Doge,  stripped  of  his  insignia  of  office,  was 
beheaded  in  the  closed  palace;  and  one  of  the  Council, 
taking  the  bloody  sword  to  the  space  between  the  Columns, 
brandished  it,  saying,  'The  terrible  doom  hath  fallen  on 
the  traitor.'  "  We  are  glad  that  the  steps  on  which 
Faliero  fell  no  longer  exist,  and  that  no  such  scene  has 
been  enacted  on  the  splendid  Staircase  of  the  Giants,  over 
which  Mars  and  Neptune  now  preside,  and  where,  since 
1485,  the  Doges  have  been  crowned  with  the  formula, 
"Accipe  coronam  ducalem  ducatus  Venetorum."  The 
author  of  the  "  Story  of  Italy  "  says :  "  It  was  a  serious  mat- 
ter to  be  Doge  of  Venice.  Five  of  the  first  fifty  Doges 
abdicated;  five  were  banished  with  their  eyes  put  out; 
nine  were  deposed ;  five  were  massacred,  and  two  fell  in 
battle." 

We  remember  that  in  the  Sala  dello  Scrutinio  is  a  picture 
of  the  Triumphal  Arch  erected  in  1694,  in  honor  of  Fran- 
cesco Morosini,  called  II  Peloponnesiaco  from  his  conquest 
of  the  Morea,  and  whose  name,  alas !  is  now  oftenest  re- 
called in  connection  with  the  destruction  of  the  Parthenon. 


352  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

One  of  the  best  works  of  Palma  Giovane  is  also  here,  - 
"The  Last  Judgment,"  in  one  part  of  which  he  represents 
his  mistress  in  heaven,  and  in  another  she  is  consigned 
to  hell.  "The  Taking  of  Zara"  is  one  of  the  wonderful 
pictures  by  Tintoretto.  Charles  Blanc  says  that  he  was 
possessed  by  the  genius  of  battles,  and  in  depicting  such 
scenes  seemed  to  be  himself  engaged  in  the  assault.  This 
work  is  full  of  fire.  It  is  confused ;  but  here  and  there  a 
single  picturesque  figure  stands  out  from  the  heroic  dis- 
order of  this  tumultuous  story. 

Blanc  relates  that  an  abbd  who  acted  as  his  guide  in 
the  Ducal  Palace  called  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
portrait  of  Marino  Faliero  did  not  appear  in  "The  Taking 
of  Zara,"  which  should  have  made  his  name  immortal  as 
much  as  his  tragic  death  has  done;  but  the  Senate  for- 
bade Tintoretto  to  place  him  on  his  canvas,  since  his  head 
had  fallen  by  the  hand  of  the  executioner.  Blanc  asks: 
"  If  the  Doge  had  betrayed  the  Republic,  was  that  a  reason 
why  the  Republic  in  its  turn  should  betray  the  truth  ?  " 

The  frieze  of  the  portraits  of  the  Doges  is  concluded  in 
this  hall,  where  the  forty-one  nobles  were  chosen  who 
afterwards  elected  these  rulers.  It  is  now  the  repository 
of  the  manuscripts,  the  early  printed  books,  and  the 
Aldine  editions  of  the  Library. 

The  Sala  dello  Scudo  is  rich  in  a  very  different  sort  of 
decoration  from  that  of  the  halls  we  have  described.  It 
is  hung  with  maps,  many  of  which  represent  the  discov- 
eries made  by  Venetian  navigators.  Here  is  the  famous 
Mappamondo  of  Fra  Mauro,  dating  from  1457  to  1459, 
which  is  of  great  value  in  connection  with  mediaeval  his- 
tory, showing  as  it  does  the  geographical  knowledge  or 
ignorance  of  that  era. 

There  is  a  class  of  pictures  in  the  Ducal  Palace  so 
numerous  that  we  have  not  space  to  speak  justly  of  them. 
They  are  those  of  which  Rio  says :  — 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  353 

"  It  was  no  doubt  the  passage  of  the  Psalmist  —  Non  nobis, 
Domine,  non  nobis,  sed  nomini  tuo  da  gloriam  —  which  was  so 
often  repeated  by  the  Venetians  in  the  Crusades,  which  sug- 
gested to  the  Doges  and  naval  commanders  the  idea  of  being 
represented  in  a  kneeling  attitude  before  the  infant  Christ  or 
the  Holy  Virgin,  in  the  pictures  destined  to  transmit  their 
names  or  the  recollection  of  their  exploits  to  future  genera- 
tions. This  mode  of  pious  commemoration,  which  offers  the 
touching  contrast  of  an  humble  attitude  with  great  dignity  or 
glory,  continued  in  use  during  the  whole  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, in  spite  of  the  paganism  so  universally  triumphant  else- 
where. After  Giovanni  Bellini  and  Catena,  came  the  celebrated 
artists  who  adorned  the  second  period  of  the  Venetian  school, 
and  who  also  paid  the  tribute  of  their  pencils  to  this  interesting 
subject.  It  is  on  this  account  that  pictures  representing  the 
Madonna  seated,  with  a  doge  or  a  general  kneeling  before  her, 
are  so  frequently  to  be  met  with  in  private  collections,  in  the 
churches,  and  above  all  in  the  Ducal  Palace,  in  which  these 
allegorical  compositions,  intended  to  express  the  close  alliance- 
between  Religion  and  the  State,  seem  to  have  been  purposely^ 
multiplied." 

In  no  other  place  in  all  Venice  does  the  atmosphere  of 
the  Middle  Ages  linger  as  it  does  in  the  Palazzo  Ducale. 
The  atmosphere  of  the  days  when  the  scroll  in  the  hand 
of  Venice  enthroned  bore  this  inscription,  "Fortis,  justa, 
trono  furias,  mare  sub  pede,  pono"  (Strong  and  just,  I 
put  the  furies  beneath  my  throne,  and  the  sea  beneath  my 
foot).  Emerging  from  this  palace,  with  one's  brain  full 
of  more  thoughts  than  it  can  hold,  it  is  restful  to  find  a 
part  of  them  so  happily  expressed  as  in  these  words  of 
Taine :  — 

"We  see  here  with  surprise  and  delight  oriental  fancy  grafting, 
the  full  on  the  empty  instead  of  the  empty  on  the  full.  A  colon- 
nade of  robust  shafts  bears  a  second  and  a  lighter  one  decorated 
with  ogives  and  with  trefoils;  while  above  this  support,  so  frail, 
expands  a  massive  wall  of  red  and  white  marble,  whose  courses 

23 


354  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

interlace  each  other  in  designs  and  reflect  the  light.  Above,  a 
cornice  of  open  pyramids,  pinnacles,  spiracles,  and  festoons  in- 
tersect the  sky  with  its  border,  forming  a  marble  vegetation 
bristling  and  blooming  above  the  vermilion  and  pearly  tones  of 
the  facade,  reminding  one  of  the  luxuriant  Asiatic  or  African 
cactus  which  on  its  native  soil  mingles  its  leafy  poniards  and 
purple  petals. 

"  You  enter,  and  immediately  the  eyes  are  rilled  with  forms. 
Around  two  cisterns  covered  with  sculptured  bronze,  four  facades 
develop  their  statues  and  architectural  details  glowing  with  the 
freshness  of  the  early  Renaissance.  There  is  nothing  bare  or 
cold;  everything  is  decked  with  reliefs  and  figures,  the  pedantry 
of  erudites  and  critics  not  having  intervened,  under  the  pretext 
of  purity  and  correctness,  to  restrain  a  lively  imagination  and 
the  craving  for  that  which  pleases  the  eye.  People  are  not  aus- 
tere in  Venice;  they  do  not  restrict  themselves  to  the  prescrip- 
tions of  books;  they  do  not  make  up  their  minds  to  go  and 
yawn  admiringly  at  a  facade  sanctioned  by  Vitruvius  ;  they 
want  an  architectural  work  to  absorb  and  delight  the  whole  sen- 
tient being;  they  deck  it  with  ornaments,  columns,  and  statues; 
they  render  it  luxurious  and  joyous.  They  place  colossal  pagans 
like  Mars  and  Neptune  on  it,  and  biblical  figures  like  Adam 
and  Eve;  the  sculptors  of  the  fifteenth  century  enliven  it  with 
their  somewhat  realistic  and  lank  bodies,  and  those  of  the  six- 
teenth with  their  animated  and  muscular  forms.  Rizzo  and 
Sansovino  here  rear  the  precious  marbles  of  their  stairways,  the 
delicate  stuccoes  and  elegant  caprices  of  their  arabesques:  armor 
and  boughs,  griffins  and  fawns;  fantastic  flowers  and  capering 
goats,  a  profusion  of  poetic  plants  and  joyous,  bounding  animals. 
You  mount  these  princely  steps  with  a  sort  of  timidity  and 
respect,  ashamed  of  the  dull  black  coat  you  wear,  reminding  one 
by  contrast  of  the  embroidered  silk  gowns,  the  sweeping,  pom- 
pous dalmatics,  the  Byzantine  tiaras  and  brodekins,  all  that 
seigneurial  magnificence  for  which  these  marble  staircases  were 
designed;  and,  at  the  top,  to  greet  you,  are  two  superb  women, 
Power  and  Justice,  and  a  doge  receiving  from  them  the  sword  of 
command  and  of  battle. 

"At  the  top  of  the  staircase  open  the  two  halls,  the  govern- 


Court  of  the  Ducal  Palace ;  Giants'  Staircase. 


PALACES  AND  PICTURES.  355 

ment  and  state  saloons,  and  both  are  lined  with  paintings;  here 
Tintoretto,  Veronese,  Pordenone,  Palma  the  younger,  Titian, 
Bonifazio,  and  twenty  others  have  covered  with  masterpieces 
the  walls  of  which  Palladio,  Aspetti,  Scamozzi,  and  Sansovino 
made  the  designs  and  ornaments.  All  the  genius  of  the  city  at 
its  brightest  period  assembled  here  to  glorify  the  Republic  in 
the  erection  of  a  memorial  of  its  victories  and  an  apotheosis  of 
its  grandeur.  There  is  no  similar  trophy  in  the  world:  naval 
combats,  ships  with  curved  prows  like  swan's  necks,  galleys 
with  crowded  banks  of  oars,  battlements  discharging  showers  of 
arrows,  floating  standards  amidst  masts,  a  tumultuous  strife  of 
struggling  and  engulfed  combatants,  crowds  of  Illyrians,  Sara- 
cens, and  Greeks,  naked  bodies  bronzed  by  the  sun  and  deformed 
by  contests,  stuffs  of  gold,  damascene  armor,  silks  starred  with 
pearls,  all  the  strange  medley  of  that  heroic,  luxurious  display 
which  transpires  in  Venetian  history  from  Zara  to  Damietta, 
and  from  Padua  to  the  Dardanelles;  here  and  there,  grand 
nudities  of  allegorical  goddesses;  in  the  triangles  the  'Virtues  ' 
of  Pordenone,  a  species  of  colossal  virago  with  herculean,  san- 
guine, and  choleric  body;  throughout,  a  display  of  virile  strength, 
active  energy,  sensual  gayety,  and,  preparing  the  way  for  this 
bewildering  procession,  the  grandest  of  modern  paintings,  a 
'Paradise  '  by  Tintoretto,  eighty  feet  long  by  twenty  wide,  with 
six  hundred  figures  whirling  about  in  a  ruddy  illumination,  as  if 
from  the  glowing  flames  of  a  vast  conflagration." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  ACCADEMIA;  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE. 

'TVHE  Accademia  delle  Belle  Arti,  although  on  the 
A  Grand  Canal,  may  be  reached  by  a  short  walk  from 
the  Piazza,  passing  San  Moise  and  Santa  Maria  Zobenigo, 
and  through  the  Campo  San  Stefano  to  the  ugly  bridge 
which  leads  directly  to  the  Campo  della  Carita.  The 
Convent  of  Charity  was  one  of  the  edifices  upon  which 
Palladio  lavished  the  greatest  care  and  study.  Much  of 
it  was  burned  in  1630,  and  the  pride  of  the  old  architect 
no  longer  remains.  After  the  suppression  of  the  convent 
it  was  used  as  a  barrack ;  but  in  1807  Napoleon  decreed 
the  establishment  of  an  Academy  of  Art,  and  the  spacious 
buildings  of  La  Carita  were  devoted  to  its  use. 

Here  are  pictures  from  the  very  earliest  days  in  which 
even  the  glimmerings  of  a  Venetian  Art  could  he  dis- 
cerned ;  and  this  was  as  late  as  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  when  the  Vivarini  of  Murano  painted  their  dry, 
meagre  Virgins  and  other  figures  in  colors  so  rich  as 
even  then  to  foreshadow  the  glorious  blooming  time  which 
followed. 

As  we  are  not  writing  of  Art  with  any  special  method, 
we  will  speak  only  of  a  few  works  of  interest  to  all,  —  to 
the  picture-lover  as  well  as  to  the  connoisseur  and  stu- 
dent, —  merely  saying,  en  passant,  that  one  who  has  time 
will  do  well  to  spend  a  good  share  of  it  here. 

Tt  is  to  be  expected  that,  as  in  other  portions  of  Italy, 
the  early  pictures  should  almost  without  exception  be 


THE  ACCADEMIA,   CHURCHES   AND   SCUOLE.          357 

devoted  to  religious  subjects;  and  none  could  be  more 
sweet  and  attractive  in  sentiment  than  are  those  of 
Giovanni  Bellini,  whose  Madonnas  are  good  and  simple, 
self-effacing  mothers,  anxious  only  to  show  the  sacred 
Child  to  all  beholders,  and  offer  him  for  the  world  to 
worship.  How  many  of  these  pure,  grave,  reverential 
mothers  the  good  Zuan  painted!  and  we  can  never  see 
them  too  often.  We  are  sure  that  he  who  represented 
this  Divine  Mother,  with  the  "splendid  column  of  her 
throat,  holding  her  head  high  in  a  noble  and  simple 
abstraction,"  and  the  Infant  King,  with  his  lovely  angelic 
children  in  attendance,  tenderly  respected  women,  and 
idolized  children.  We  are  almost  sure  that  he  reproduced 
on  his  canvas  the  inmates  ol  his  own  home.  One  of  these 
Madonnas,  in  the  Contarini  collection  of  the  Academy,  is 
an  exquisite  example  of  this  younger  and  most  excellent 
Bellini. 

Two  unusually  interesting  works  by  Gentile  Bellini  are 
"Miracles  of  the  Holy  Cross,"  and  were  painted  in  1466 
and  1500  for  the  School  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist. 
The  first  represents  a  scene  in  the  Piazza  when  a  miracu- 
lous cure  is  made  by  a  fragment  of  the  True  Cross  there 
displayed.  This  Bellini  could  not  confine  himself  to  an 
endless  repetition  of  Madonnas  and  Saints;  his  interest 
in  the  humanity  about  him  was  far  too  strong  for  him  to 
turn  from  it  to  paint  the  ideal,  and  we  rejoice  in  his  real- 
istic picturing  of  the  Venice  of  his  day.  He  shows  us 
San  Marco  with  but  a  single  mosaic  that  still  remains; 
the  bell-turrets  of  the  fa9ade ;  the  Corinthian  (?)  horses ; 
the  statues,  less  numerous  than  now;  and  the  foliage- 
like  decorations,  all  brilliant  with  gold  and  color.  The 
loggietta  was  not  yet  built;  but  the  Campanile  was  there, 
not,  however,  unattached  as  now.  The  Clock-Tower  was 
not  in  existence,  and  the  Procuratie  were  so  different 
from  those  of  to-day  as  to  be  scarcely  recognizable. 


358  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

The  procession  has  entered  the  Piazza  through  a  gate- 
way between  San  Marco  and  the  Ducal  Palace.  Groups 
of  idlers  here  and  there  are  watching  the  ceremony,  and 
are  composed  of  Oriental  merchants,  Venetian  gallants, 
and  an  occasional  magistrate  in  his  toga,  or  perhaps  some 
women  and  children.  Mrs.  Oliphant  says :  — 

"The  picture  is  like  a  book,  more  absolutely  true  than  any 
chronicle,  representing  not  only  the  looks  and  customs  of  the 
occasion,  but  the  very  scene.  How  eagerly  the  people  must 
liave  traced  it  out  when  it  first  was  made  public,  finding  out  in 
every  group  some  known  faces,  some  image  all  the  more  inter- 
esting because  it  was  met  in  the  flesh  every  day!  Is  tbat  per- 
haps Zuan  Bellini  himself,  with  his  bair  standing  out  round  his 
face,  talking  to  his  companions  about  the  passing  procession, 
pointing  out  the  curious  effects  of  light  and  shade  upon  the 
crimson  capes  aud  berettas,  and  watching  while  the  line  defiles 
with  its  glimmer  of  candles  and  sound  of  psalms  against  the 
majestic  shadow  of  the  houses?  " 

The  fragment  of  the  True  Cross  which  performs,  in  this 
first  painting,  the  miracle  of  a  great  cure,  was  presented 
to  the  Brotherhood  of  the  Scuola  di  San  Giovanni  Evan- 
gel ista  by  the  Grand  Chancellor  of  Cyprus,  who  had  in 
turn  received  it  from  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople. 
This  relic  had  performed  so  many  wonders  that  the  Con- 
fraternity felt  the  importance  of  recording  them,  so  to 
speak,  on  these  enormous  canvases,  that  all  the  world 
might  see  and  believe. 

A  second  picture  commemorates  an  occasion  when  the 
sacred  relic  was  carried  in  procession  to  the  Church  of 
San  Lorenzo,  and  when  on  the  bridge  near  the  church  it 
was  dropped  into  the  canal.  Many  persons  among  the 
profane  crowd  which  followed  the  procession  leaped  into 
the  water,  and  are  seen  in  the  picture  swimming  about  in 
search  of  the  relic.  Some  boats  also  have  come  near  for 
the  same  purpose ;  but  not  until  Andrea  Vendramini,  the 


THE  ACCADEMIA,   CHURCHES  AND   SCUOLE.         359 

chief  vrarden  of  the  Scuola,  descended  into  the  canal  in 
his  full  habit,  could  the  precious  object  be  found.  For 
him  it  floated  upright,  because,  as  the  tradition  teaches, 
of  his  being  granted  this  great  privilege  by  miraculous 
favor. 

This  scene  is  even  more  characteristic  of  Venetian  life 
than  the  first.  The  houses  near  the  bridge  are  orna- 
mented with  draperies ;  and  heads  of  women  in  coifs  and 
hoods  are  seen  in  the  windows.  The  bridge  is  crowded 
densely  by  the  procession  arrested  to  watch  the  search  for 
the  relic,  and  the  light  is  thrown  on  the  faces  of  the 
priests  and  monks  who  chiefly  compose  it.  All  along  the 
Fondamenta  is  a  concourse  of  richly  dressed  ladies  in 
magnificent  costumes  and  gorgeous  jewels,  whose  shoulders 
and  faces  are  increased  in  beauty  by  the  thin  veils  that 
soften  but  do  not  conceal  their  features  or  their  rich 
necklaces  and  coronets.  They  kneel  closely  together, 
and  no  doubt  will  follow  the  procession  when  it  moves. 
They  are  not  young,  but  in  the  height  ot  womanly  dignity 
and  grace ;  and  it  is  said  that  she  who  wears  a  crown  is 
Caterina  Cornaro,  who  has  come  from  Asolo  to  see  this 
ceremony  at  San  Lorenzo.  In  one  of  the  boats  stands  the 
priest  of  San  Lorenzo,  his  hands  clasped  in  prayer ;  and 
Ridolfi  declares  that  Gentile  introduced  his  own  portrait 
in  the  crowd  at  the  side  of  the  canal.  Charles  Blanc 
places  great  value  on  this  picture  on  account  of  its  accu- 
rate representation  of  the  costumes  and  manners  of  the 
time,  the  ceremonials,  buildings,  bridges,  and  quays  of 
Venice ;  but  as  a  work  of  art  he  finds  it  inferior  to  the 
"Procession  in  the  Piazza  of  St.  Mark." 

We  have  not  space  to  speak  with  any  justice  of  that 
marvellous  series  of  nine  pictures  by  Carpaccio,  which 
tell  the  story  of  Saint  Ursula  with  such  power  as  to  strike 
ail  beholders  with  astonishment.  We  can  mention  but 
one  work  by  this  master,  —  a  work  in  the  same  vein  as 


360  THE   QUEEN   OF   THE   ADRIATIC. 

the  two  by  Gentile  Bellini  of  which  we  have  spoken.  It 
is  called  the  "Patriarch  of  Grado;"  and  the  bridge  of  the 
Rialto,  then  built  of  wood,  is  seen,  as  well  as  the  gondolas, 
which  were  open,  decked  with  garlands,  and  painted  in 
colors,  as  if  ready  for  a  fete. 

1  can  scarcely  equal  Mr.  Ruskin  in  enthusiasm  for 
Carpaccio ;  but  it  is  certain  that  this  man,  whose  origin  is 
unknown  and  the  date  of  whose  death  cannot  be  given, 
whose  whole  history,  in  fact,  is  enveloped  in  impenetra- 
ble shadows,  was  a  great  poetic  artist;  and  Blanc  well 
says :  "  His  works  are  not  precious  to  Venetians  only ; 
they  have  an  infinite  charm  for  all  the  world,  because 
they  reveal  the  imagination  of  an  artist.  In  them  one 
admires  the  ingenuousness  of  a  precursor,  and  feels  the 
soul  of  a  poet ;  and  nothing  is  more  true  than  the  saying 
of  Zanetti,  '  Carpaccio  bears  the  truth  in  his  heart. '  : 

The  "Assumption"  and  "The  Presentation  of  the  Vir- 
gin "  by  Titian  are  among  the  invaluable  treasures  of  the 
Accademia.  As  we  gaze  on  the  magnificent  Assumption, 
we  can  but  wonder,  and  even  feel  indignant,  at  the  dense 
stupidity  of  those  monks  of  the  Frari  for  whom  it  was 
painted.  They  were  like  buzzing,  stinging  gnats  about 
him  while  the  work  was  going  on,  and  only  accepted  it  at 
last  because  a  minister  of  Charles  V.  offered  a  goodly 
sum  for  it,  and  wished  to  take  it  away  from  Venice.  Its 
only  worth  in  their  eyes  depended  on  the  fact  that  others 
wished  to  have  it. 

It  is  really  in  three  parts.  At  the  top  is  the  Eternal 
Father,  in  resplendent  glory,  with  arms  open  to  receive 
the  Holy  Virgin,  who  ascends  to  him  surrounded  by  an 
aureole  of  cherubim.  Below  the  grand,  colossal  figures 
of  the  Apostles  are  grouped.  The  Virgin  is  modest,  and 
yet  triumphant.  She  has  no  mystic  expression,  but  is  of 
the  same  healthy,  vigorous  race  which  Titian  saw  all 
about  him.  She  might  be  a  sister  or  daughter  of  one  of 


THE  ACCADEMIA;  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE.          361 

the  bronzed  apostles  below.  Her  double  mantle  of  red 
and  blue,  in  its  many  folds,  does  not  disguise  the  athletic 
grace  of  her  superb  form,  in  which  there  is  neither  languor 
nor  effeminacy. 

In  this  picture,  in  which  the  climax  of  Venetian 
painting  was  reached,  —  which  is  by  its  position  and 
arrangement  in  the  Academy  the  acknowledged  Queen  of 
Pictures,  —  a  wonderful  power  of  invention  is  displayed, 
and  a  boldness  of  execution  is  shown  which  Titian  had 
not  before  employed,  and  which  was  much  criticised  at 
the  time  of  its  completion ;  but  it  has  endured  the  chances 
and  changes  of  almost  four  centuries  only  to  be  placed  in 
the  first  rank  of  existing  paintings. 

In  the  "Presentation  of  the  Virgin"  we  have  a  truly 
Venetian  treatment  of  a  subject  which  has  been  made  of 
small  effect  in  the  hands  of  other  masters.  The  nice 
little  girl,  with  her  plump  face  and  blue  gown,  can  have 
no  possible  conception  of  the  meaning  of  her  pale  aureole. 
She  is  childishly  innocent  of  what  is  to  be  done,  and,  in 
fact,  has  simply  been  used  by  Titian  as  an  excuse  for 
bringing  together  fifty  people,  an  obelisk,  a  portico,  the 
f aQade  of  a  temple,  a  long  flight  of  gray  stone  steps ;  and 
not  content  with  these,  he  has  added  hillsides,  mountains, 
and  trees,  with  banks  of  clouds  above  all. 

The  Pontiff  and  a  group  of  priests  are  above  the  child 
at  the  top  of  the  steps.  She  raises  her  hand  towards 
them.  Below  are  her  father  and  mother,  and  near  the 
steps  the  famous  old  countrywoman,  with  her  basket  of 
eggs.  There  are  also  men  and  women  of  quite  another 
class,  dressed  in  long  garments,  who  make  a  sort  of  pass- 
ing procession.  It  is  as  if  one  were  in  the  midst  of  a  city 
where  people  of  various  classes  are  occupied  with  their 
personal  affairs,  —  a  city  in  the  midst  of  a  noble  land- 
scape, which  is  glowing  with  sunlight,  —  a  city,  too, 
on  which  its  people  have  bestowed  the  riches  of  art,  and 


362  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

everything  that  money  can  produce  to  make  life  luxurious 
and  attractive.  It  is  no  wonder  that  Titian  lived  without 
a  rival ;  that  his  works  were  sought  by  emperors  and 
kings,  and  that  in  his  power  of  portraiture  he  has  not 
been  surpassed. 

"The  Supper  in  the  House  of  Levi  "  was  painted  by 
Paul  Veronese  for  the  Refectory  of  SS.  Giovanni  and 
Paolo,  in  1572 ;  and  a  year  later  the  artist  was  summoned 
before  the  Sacred  Tribunal  to  answer  to  the  charge  of 
irreverence,  based  upon  his  having  painted  "dwarfs,  buf- 
foons, drunkards,  Germans,  and  similar  indecencies "  at 
supper  with  Our  Lord.  Veronese  defended  himself  on  the 
ground  that  Michael  Angelo,  "in  the  Papal  Chapel  at 
Rome,  painted  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  His  Mother,  Saint 
John,  and  Saint  Peter,  and  all  the  court  of  heaven,  from 
the  Virgin  Mary  downwards,  naked,  and  in  various  atti- 
tudes, with  little  reverence."  Veronese  was  dismissed 
with  a  command  to  correct  his  picture  within  three 
months ;  but  more  than  three  hundred  years  have  passed, 
and  it  remains  untouched. 

The  suppers  of  Christ  and  his  disciples  and  friends  were 
so  often  painted  by  Veronese,  that  he  could  scarcely  vary 
them  very  much.  That  in  the  house  of  Levi  is  subject  to 
criticism  on  account  of  the  prominence  given  to  the  archi- 
tecture, which  is  of  too  florid  a  type  to  please  a  severe 
taste,  although  it  may  correspond  with  the  disorder  and 
movement  of  the  peculiar  figures  of  the  composition  to 
which  the  Sacred  Tribunal  objected. 

Rich  in  masterpieces  as  the  Ducal  Palace  and  the 
Academy  are,  one  must  still  go  elsewhere  for  some  of  the 
grandest  works  of  the  Venetian  school.  For  example, 
the  Santa  Barbara  of  Palma  Vecchio  is  in  the  Church  of 
S.  Maria  Formosa,  which  I  always  remember  was  built  in 
1492,  that  important  year  in  which  our  part  of  the  world 
may  be  said  to  have  been  born.  This  church  is  very  near 


THE  ACCADEMIA;  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE.         363 

the  Piazza;  aiid  the  walk  from  the  Academy,  where  one 
so  often  is,  after  crossing  the  bridge,  leads  through  a 
maze  of  calli  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city. 

Santa  Barbara  was  the  patroness  of  soldiers,  and  this 
picture  was  painted  for  the  Bombardieri.  She  makes  the 
centre  of  an  altarpiece,  having  two  male  saints  on  each 
side,  and  a  Pieta  above.  The  whole  work  is  excellent, 
and  were  the  central  figure  not  seen,  the  Virgin  above 
would  attract  much  attention;  but  the  Saint  Barbara 
fills  the  place. 

She  stands  there  in  full  majesty,  a  beautiful  young  girl, 
proud  in  her  bearing,  but  full  of  human,  attraction.  She 
is  not  saint-like,  and  wears  her  crown  with  no  humility, 
and  holds  her  palm  as  it  might  be  a  sceptre.  Her  rich 
brown  robe,  carelessly  held  about  her  waist  by  a  knotted 
ribbon,  is  in  exquisite  contrast  with  her  crimson  mantle. 
A  white  veil  is  twisted  in  her  golden  crown,  falls  on  one 
side,  and  crosses  her  breast;  while  her  magnificent  hair 
falls  in  wavy  tresses  on  each  side  her  throat,  and  rests  on 
her  bosom.  Cannon  are  at  her  feet,  and  her  tower  is  seen 
behind  her.  It  is  a  splendid,  lovable  woman  who  is  here 
portrayed  in  a  marvellous  manner. 

Charles  Blanc  tells  us  that  when  he  first  entered  this 
church  with  his  friend,  Mass  was  being  said  before  the 
altar  of  Santa  Barbara;  but  in  spite  of  the  ceremony  and 
the  place  they  were  both  surprised  into  cries  of  admira- 
tion as  they  saw  the  picture.  Naturally  the  priests  and 
worshippers  were  scandalized,  and  our  author  was  publicly 
reproved. 

Tradition  teaches  us  that  this  Barbara  was  a  portrait  of 
Palma's  daughter,  Violante,  who  was  passionately  loved 
by  Titian.  So  good  an  authority  as  Blanc  tells  us  that 
44  it  is  certain  "  that  Palma's  daughter  was  the  mistress  of 
Titian  late  in  his  life.  Both  these  masters  made  several 
portraits  of  her,  introducing  her  into  a  variety  of  scenes. 


364  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

One  knows  her  by  her  limpid,  wide-open  eyes,  her  volup- 
tuous mouth  and  peculiar  nose.  She  is  often  represented 
in  dishabille,  with  her  large  shoulders  and  beautiful 
bosom  half  bare.  When  attired,  she  is  much  decorated, 
with  puffs  and  slashes  in  her  gowns,  with  bows  of  ribbon, 
and  numerous  chains  and  other  ornaments. 

Just  at  the  left  of  the  western  front  of  Santa  Maria 
Formosa  is  the  entrance  to  the  Ponte  del  Paradiso,  with 
its  exquisite  Gothic  archway.  —  one  of  the  most  charming 
bits  of  old  architecture  in  Venice. 

A  very  short  walk  takes  one  to  the  Canipo  of  SS. 
Giovanni  and  Paola,  on  which  are  situated  the  grand 
Dominican  church  of  the  same  name ;  the  Scuola  of  San 
Marco,  now  a  hospital;  and  the  chapel  of  Santa  Maria 
della  Pace,  in  which  the  Falieri  were  buried,  and  where, 
in  1815,  the  skeleton  of  the  unhappy  Doge  was  found  with 
the  head  between  the  knees. 

Here  too  is  the  splendid  statue  of  Verrochio's,  of  which 
Ruskin  says,  "I  do  not  believe  that  there  is  a  more 
glorious  work  of  sculpture  existing  in  the  world  than  the 
equestrian  statue  of  Bartolommeo  Colleoni,"  —  which  to 
me  seems  rather  extreme  praise. 

The  church,  best  known  as  San  Zanipolo,  is  in  the 
cheerful  Italian  Gothic,  and  with  its  broad  arches  and 
white  windows  does  not  at  all  suggest  its  grand  sepul- 
chral character.  But  it  is  crowded  with  monuments  and 
tombs.  Here  many  Doges  were  laid  in  state,  and  here 
their  funeral  services  were  held.  While  living  they  also 
came  here  on  the  7th  of  October,  in  all  their  bravery  and 
dignity,  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  the  victory  over 
the  Turks  in  the  Dardanelles.  But  now,  these  pageants 
being  over,  it  is  essentially  a  great  tomb;  and  taken 
together  with  Santa  Maria  Gloriosa  dei  Frari,  we  have 
the  double  Mausoleum  of  Venice. 

San  Zanipolo  was  founded  because  of  a  dream  which 


THE  ACCADEMIA,  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE.          365 

the  Doge  Giacomo  Tiepolo  dreamed  in  1226.  "Were 
dreams  of  more  consequence  in  those  days,  or  are  we  less 
attentive  to  them  ?  The  Doge  saw  in  his  sleep  the  little 
chapel  of  the  Dominicans  surrounded  with  the  most  lovely 
red  roses,  so  fragrant  that  all  the  air  was  sweet  with  their 
perfume ;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  roses  white  doves  with 
gold  crosses  on  their  heads  were  flying  all  about.  Then 
angels  descended,  bearing  smoking  golden  censers,  and 
they  passed  through  the  chapel,  and  out  among  the  flow- 
ers, and  the  incense  was  like  clouds,  and  a  voice  said, 
"  This  is  the  place  I  have  chosen  for  my  preachers. " 

Instantly  the  Doge  awoke  and  went  to  the  Senate  to  tell 
his  dream ;  and  at  once  a  large  plot  of  ground  was  added 
to  the  domain  of  the  Dominicans,  and  after  eight  years 
the  foundation  of  the  church  was  laid  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Doge  and  the  Senators. 

The  two  great  pictures  of  this  church  —  the  "  Death  of 
Saint  Peter  Martyr  "  by  Titian,  and  a  beautiful  work  by 
Giovanni  Bellini  —  were  burned,  and  the  remaining  paint- 
ings are  scarcely  as  interesting  as  are  the  monuments, 
some  of  which  are  very  curious,  and  many  of  which  per- 
petuate the  names  and  deeds  of  the  greatest  men  of  the 
Republic.  The  most  absurd,  perhaps,  is  the  monument 
to  the  two  Doges  Yalier,  and  to  the  Dogaressa,  the  wife 
of  the  younger.  The  effect  of  the  enormous  curtain,  per- 
haps seventy  feet  high,  with  ropes,  fringes,  and  tassels 
galore,  and  sustained  by  cherubs,  thus  making  a  back- 
ground for  the  effigies  of  the  three  figures,  is  something 
indescribable.  Victory,  Fame,  the  Virtues,  Genii,  a  lion, 
and  a  dragon  have  all  been  made  to  contribute  to  the 
glory  of  this  family ;  and  the  inscription  tells  us  that  this 
ugly  Dogaressa,  with  her  jewels,  laces,  furs,  ruffs,  and 
embroidery,  was  "Distinguished  by  Roman  virtue,  Vene- 
tian piety,  and  the  Ducal  Crown."  One  wonders  what 
she  could  have  asked  for  in  her  prayers.  Having  all  this, 


366  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

what  could  be  added  unto  her  ?  Would  beauty  have  been 
worth  while  ? 

The  two  Bellini  and  Palma  Giovane  are  entombed  at 
San  Zanipolo,  while  the  tombs  of  Titian  and  Canova  are 
at  the  Frari,  all  of  them  being  in  most  masterful  com- 
pany ;  but  in  the  last-named  church  there  exists  a  beauti- 
ful Madonna  and  Saints  by  Giovanni  Bellini,  and  the 
splendid  altarpiece  by  Titian  called  "  La  Pala  dei  Pesari. " 
It  is  a  Madonna  with  Saints  and  some  of  the  Pesari 
family.  It  is  the  finest  ex-voto  picture  in  the  world.  It 
was  ordered  in  1519,  and  Titian  was  paid  ninety-six 
ducats  for  it. 

We  have  barely  mentioned  Tintoretto,  his  "  Paradiso  " 
and  his  "  Miracle  of  Saint  Mark."  He  is  to  many  the  most 
unusual  man  among  the  Venetian  painters  of  his  time, 
and  to  others  an  artist  who  was  not  surpassed.  He  seized 
and  still  holds  his  own  domain  in  the  Church  of  Santa 
Maria,  dell'  Orto  and  the  Scuola  di  San  Rocco.  "  Boiling 
with  thoughts,"  having  means  to  live  without  earning,  he 
but  desired  space  and  opportunity  to  paint;  and  these 
he  secured  when  he  offered  to  work  -without  price  for  the 
fathers  of  the  Orto. 

The  two  enormous  pictures  of  the  "  Last  Judgment " 
and  "  The  Israelites  worshipping  the  Golden  Calf  "  still 
remain  to  prove  that  he  was  no  vain  boaster  when  he  pro- 
posed to  satisfy  himself  and  win  a  glorious  fame;  and 
these  two  great  pictures  finished,  he  proceeded,  so  to  speak, 
to  decorate  the  whole  church. 

It  was  not  alone  in  the  palaces  and  churches  of  Venice 
that  the  artists  found  opportunities  for  the  indulgence 
of  their  imagination  in  depicting  historical  and  ideal 
religious  subjects.  The  Scuole,  of  which  there  were  five, 
were  associations  of  private  individuals  for  benevolent 
purposes.  They  are  remarkable  monuments  to  the  peo- 
ple, not  to  the  government,  and  are  all  the  more  interest- 


THE  ACCADEMIA;  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE.          367 

ing  because  in  this  regard  they  are  unique.  They  were 
largely  endowed;  and  their  edifices,  built  by  voluntary 
gifts,  are  among  the  chief  ornaments  of  Mediaeval  Venice. 
Among  their  objects  were  the  provision  of  occupation  for 
boys,  and  the  gift  of  dowries  to  maidens,  fifteen  hundred 
of  these  being  annually  married  by  the  aid  of  these 
confraternities. 

Perhaps  the  Scuola  di  San  Marco  on  the  Campo  of  the 
same  name,  was  as  remarkable  as  any  one  of  these  insti- 
tutions. For  this  brotherhood  Tintoretto  painted  the 
"Miracle  of  Saint  Mark,"  now  in  the  Academy.  No 
words  can  describe  this  picture,  of  which  Taine  says: 
"No  painting,  in  my  judgment,  surpasses  or  perhaps  equals 
his  Saint  Mark  in  the  Academy ;  at  all  events,  no  paint- 
ing has  made  an  equal  impression  on  my  mind."  And 
Blanc  says :  "  Tintoretto  has  here  employed  all  his  know- 
ledge, all  his  love.  It  is  the  work  of  a  colorist,  who  could 
be  made  to  pale  by  no  other,  even  in  Venice.  ...  By 
this  resplendent  painting  Tintoretto  attained  to  the  high- 
est rank,  and  he  could  no  longer  be  ignored  in  the  decora- 
tion of  the  Ducal  Palace. " 

Vasari  and  Ridolfi  concur  in  the  account  of  the  bold 
manner  in  which  Tintoretto  bore  off  the  prize  in  a  contest 
at  the  Scuola  di  San  Rocco.  This  was  the  most  interest- 
ing and  the  richest  of  the  Scuole ;  and  the  Brotherhood, 
having  obtained  the  relics  of  the  saint,  albeit  in  a  manner 
not  to  be  commended,  had  built  their  fine  church  and 
Scuola  in  his  honor.  From  Antonio  Grimani  to  the  fall 
of  the  Republic,  the  Doges  were  enrolled  in  this  order, 
and  the  Confraternity  of  San  Rocco  was  a  liberal  patron 
of  art.  Mrs.  Jameson  gives  this  account  of  the  acquisition 
of  the  relics :  — 

"  In  the  year  1485  the  Venetians,  who  from  their  commerce 
with  the  Levant  were  continually  exposed  to  the  visitation  of 
the  plague,  determined  to  possess  themselves  of  the  relics  of 


368  THE   QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

S.  Roch.  The  conspirators  sailed  to  Montpellier,  under  pre- 
tence of  performing  a  holy  pilgrimage,  and  carried  off  the  body 
of  the  saint,  with  which  they  returned  to  Venice,  and  were  re- 
ceived by  the  Doge,  the  Senate,  the  clergy,  and  all  the  people 
with  inexpressible  joy." 

When  on  one  occasion  the  Brotherhood  of  San  Rocco 
demanded  cartoons  for  a  picture  they  wished  to  have 
painted  from  five  celebrated  artists,  Tintoretto  secretly 
measured  the  space,  and  painted  the  scene  in  a  few  days. 
When  the  day  of  competition  arrived,  he  managed  to 
fasten  his  canvas  in  the  place  for  the  intended  decoration 
and  covered  it;  and  when  the  other  designs  had  been  dis- 
played, he  snatched  the  covering  from  his  picture,  and 
electrified  all  present.  The  judges  were  as  angry  as  the 
competitors,  and  told  the  painter  that  they  had  met  to 
judge  of  cartoons,  and  not  to  have  a  picture  forced  on 
them.  Tintoretto  replied  that  this  was  his  only  method 
of  design ;  that  designs  and  models  should  always  be  so 
executed  that  the  full  effect  of  the  completed  work  could 
be  seen ;  and,  finally,  he  said  that  he  set  no  price  on  his 
picture,  which  he  wished  to  present  to  them.  As  they 
were  not  permitted  to  refuse  a  gift  to  their  saint,  they 
were  forced  to  keep  it. 

At  length,  the  excitement  having  passed,  the  larger 
number  of  votes  was  cast  in  favor  of  Tintoretto,  and  he 
was  formally  appointed  to  do  all  that  was  necessary  for 
the  decoration  of  the  Scuola,  receiving  a  hundred  ducats  a 
year  during  his  life,  and  promising  to  paint  for  it  one 
picture  annually.  The  picture  which  he  nailed  to  the 
roof  while  his  rivals  made  their  drawings  may  still  be 
seen  there.  It  was  executed  in  1560,  and  represents  "  The 
Apotheosis  of  Saint  Roch." 

Thus  it  happened  that  the  Lower  and  Upper  Halls,  the 
Staircase  and  the  Albergo  of  the  Scuola  became  galleries 
of  the  works  of  Tintoretto,  while  still  others  are  in  the 


THE  ACCADEMIA;  CHURCHES  AND  SCUOLE.          369 

Church  of  San  Rocco.  When  the  Scuola  was  finished,  it 
became,  in  a  sense,  a  school  of  painting.  Ridolfi  says  it 
was  — 

"the  resort  of  the  studious  in  painting,  and  in  particular  of 
all  the  foreigners  from  the  other  side  of  the  Alps  who  came  to 
Venice  at  that  time :  Tintoretto's  works  serving  as  examples  of 
composition,  of  grace,  and  harmony  of  design,  of  the  manage- 
ment of  light  and  shade,  and  force  and  freedom  of  color ;  and, 
in  short,  of  all  that  can  be  called  most  accurate,  and  can  best 
exhibit  the  gifts  of  the  ingenious  painter." 

All  over  Venice  his  works  exist,  —  in  the  humblest 
chapels  and  sacristies,  as  well  as  in  the  Hall  of  the  Great 
Council ;  and  yet  many  have  been  burned,  have  perished 
by  neglect,  or  have  become  indistinguishable  with  time. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  of  all  the  Venetian  school  of 
painters  there  were  but  two  born  in  Venice,  —  Giovanni 
Bellini  and  Tintoretto;  and  yet,  so  perfectly  have  the 
others  suited  themselves  to  her  atmosphere  that  we  feel 
their  art  to  be  hers  individually,  in  perfect  accord  with 
her  spirit  and  her  needs. 

So,  in  architecture,  Scamozzi,  Palladio,  Sansovino,  and 
San  Micheli  were  all  born  on  the  mainland ;  not  one  of 
them  first  saw  the  light  in  Venice.  But  who  that  stands 
in  the  Piazza,  or  passes  up  and  down  the  Grand  Canal, 
feels  for  a  moment  that  any  other  architecture  would  have 
suited  Venice,  or  that  this  would  please  us  were  it  repro- 
duced elsewhere  ?  Assuredly  Mediaeval  Venice  possessed 
a  charm  which  worked  its  spell  on  all  who  dwelt  within 
her  borders,  which  enabled  her  to  impress  them  with  her 
own  signet,  and  draw  out  in  her  service  the  best  that  was 
in  them.  Venice  was  of  old  an  enchantress ;  and  in  spite 
of  years  and  the  many  maladies  from  which  she  has  suf- 
fered, she  has  not  yet  lost  her  spell.  The  charm  is  still 
there.  It  is  over  you  while  within  her  borders,  and  fills 
you  with  delight.  It  surges  around  you  from  time  to 

24 


370  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  ADRIATIC. 

time  when  you  are  far,  far  away,  and  you  long  to  be  with 
her  again  as  you  long  for  the  beloved  faces  into  which  you 
cannot  look,  and  which  distance  and  time  make  no  less 
dear. 

You  shut  your  eyes  on  what  is  near  you,  and  you  think 
of  the  shimmer  of  her  lagoons,  the  pearly  tints  of  the  cool 
hours  of  day,  and  the  rosy,  golden  atmosphere  of  the 
warmer  time.  Her  domes  and  palaces  rise  before  you. 
You  almost  feel  the  motion  of  the  gondola  as  you  sweep 
around  a  curve,  and  a  new  and  fascinating  vista  reveals 
itself.  You  hear  a  soft,  musical  language,  or  listen  to 
the  well-known  cries  of  the  gondoliers  and  the  distant 
song  or  serenade,  and  you  echo  the  words  of  Saint  Victor : 
"  Other  cities  have  admirers ;  Venice  alone  has  lovers. " 


INDEX. 


Abano,  Baths  of,  192,  194,  195. 

Abbiati,  187. 

Abydos,  47. 

Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  347,  363,  367. 

Accademia  delle  Belle  Arti,  356,  360. 

Adams,  Charles  Kendall,  254. 

Adda,  The  river,  192,  194,  275,  281. 

Adrian  IV.,  Pope,  3. 

Adrianople,  67,  68. 

Adriatic,  The,  48,  70,  167,  237,  266. 

./Egean,  The,  48,  70. 

Alberti,  Pietro,  61. 

Aldus  the  Printer,  255,  326-332. 

Alexander  III.,  Pope,  3-9,  11,   13,  31, 

90,  347,  350. 

Alexandria,  227,  233,  263,  278,  304. 
Alexius,  44-47,  49,  50,  52-58. 
Alexius  III.,  68. 
Alexius  Ducas,  56. 
Alexius  the  Elder,  48,  51. 
Alfonso  of  Naples,  231,  233,  234. 
Aliense,  341,  350. 
Altina,  167. 

Araadeo,  Duke  of  Savoy,  188. 
Anafesto,  Luca,  25. 
Ancona,  31,  149,  349,  350. 
Andata  alii  due  Castelli,  9. 
Angeli,  The,  55,  59. 
Angels,  Church  of  the,  124. 
Anna  of  Padua,  325. 
Antelao,  168. 
Anti-Doge,  The,  10,  11. 
Aquileia,  149, 167. 
Archipelago,  The,  48. 
Armenia,  313,  314. 
Armenia,  Queen  of,  229. 
Armenians,  68,  69. 
Arqua  del  Monte,  207,  208. 
Arrengo,  The,  28,  29. 


Arsenal,  The,  30,    161,  202,  213-216, 

251,  325. 

Arsenalotti,  The,  215. 
Arundel,  Lady,  290. 
Ascension  Day,  6, 11, 12. 
Asolo,  236-239,  280,  359. 
Asolo,  Lady  of,  237. 
Athens,  285. 
Aucher,  Dr.,  315. 
Austria,  149. 

Austria,  Emperor  of.  293,  294,  301. 
Avignon,  140. 

B. 

Badoer,  109,  110. 
Badoer  II.,  305. 
Badoer  III.,  210. 
Badoeri,  The,  208. 
Bagnolo,  Peace  of,  276. 
Bajamonte,  108-113. 
Baldwin,  Emperor,  65-68. 
Ballerini,  Giorgio,  138. 
Bandello,  212. 
Bank  of  Venice,  31. 
Barbara's  Day,  St.,  121. 
Barbaria,  Giorgio,  130. 
Barbara,  Daniel,  95. 
Barbarossa,  3-5,  7,  31,  347. 
Barberigo,  154. 
Barberigo,  Doge,  124. 
Barbo,  Paolo,  263. 
Barbolano,  Pietro,  309,  310. 
Basaiti,  Marco,  212. 
Baschet,  M.  Arniand,  118. 
Bassanio,  326. 
Bassano,  Francesco,  348. 
Bassano,  Jacopo,  342. 
Bassano,  Leandro,  344,  347. 
Beauharnais,  Eugene,  293,  333. 
Bedmar,  Marquis  of,  288. 


372 


INDEX. 


Belegno,  Filippo,  110. 

Bellini,  236. 

Bellini,  The,  219,  366. 

Bellini,  Gentile,  70,  357,  359,  360. 

Bellini  Giovanni,  Juan  or  Zuan,  124, 

205,  357,  365,  366,  369. 
Beltramo,  143, 145. 
Beni bo,  Marco,.231. 
Bembo,  Pietro,  238,  324. 
Benedict  III.,  Pope,  204,  312. 
Benevolent  Institutions,  Early,  258. 
Beretta,  The,  25,  28,  204. 
Bergamo,  195,  198, 199,  275,  282. 
Bernini,  121. 
Beroviero,  Angelo,  129,  131-135,   137, 

138. 

Beroviero,  Marino,  138,  139. 
Berri,  Duchesse  de,  337. 
Bessarion,  Cardinal,  332. 
Bethune,  Conon  de,  55. 
Bibliotheca  di  San  Marco,  345. 
Blachernse,  Palace  of,  52,  55,  61. 
Blanc,  Charles,  344,352,  359,  360,  363. 
Blois,  Count  of,  33,  46,  69. 
Boccaccio,  206. 

Bocconio,  Marino,  101,  106,  108. 
Boniface  Marquis,  of  Mouteferrato,  36, 

43,  44,  46,  47,  4!>,  65-67. 
Bordone,  Paris,  307. 
Borgia,  Lucrezia,  238. 
Bosphorus,  The,  48,  49,  51,  54,  58. 
Boucoleon,  Palace  of,  61,  65,  67,  69. 
Boulogne,  33. 
Bourienne,  293. 
Bragadin,  Giambattista,  289. 
"  Bravo,  The,"  114. 
Brenta,  The,  197,  237,  241,  297,  314. 
Brescia,  191-193,  195,   239,  275,  282. 
Bresciano,  The,  194. 
Briati,  Giuseppe,  130. 
"  Brides  of  Venice,"  210. 
Bridge  of  Sighs,  203. 
Broglio,  The,  142, 177, 181. 
Broletto,  The,  186. 
Brondolo,  149, 155,  297. 
Bronze  Horses,  269. 
Brown,  H.  F.,  112,  164,  233,  236,  276, 

277. 

Brown,  Mr.  Rawdon,  326. 
Brunswick,  Duke  of,  337. 
Brussels,  Peace  of,  281,  282. 
Bucentaur,  The,  9-11,  13, 140,  180, 216, 

225,  229,  236,  306. 
Buckingham,  Duke  of,  130. 


Bulgaria,  King  of,  68. 
Buono  of  Malainocco,  304. 
Buranelli,  The,  163. 
Burano,  163, 164. 
Byron,  Lord,  80,  315. 

c. 

Cagliari,  Carl  or  Carletto,  342,  847. 

Cagliari,  Gabriele,  347. 

Caledonian  Boar,  55. 

Calendario,  143. 

"  Calza,  Compagnia  della,"  177-179. 

Cambray,  League  of,  240,  279,  280,  282, 

287,  343. 
Campania,  127. 
Campanile,  The,  150,  152, 159,  160,  209, 

211,  265,  266,  296,  299,  310,  348. 
Campo  della  Carita,  356. 
Campo  Fornio,  293. 
Campo  di  San  Agostino,  113,  326. 
Campo  dei  SS.  Giovanni  e  Paolo,  364. 
Campo  di  San  Marco,  367. 
Campo  di  San  Polo,  113. 
Campo  di  San  Stefano,  356. 
Canabes,  Nicholas,  57. 
Canale,  Martino  da,  102,  131  132. 
Candia,  67,  146,  153,  181,  182,  263,  266, 

284. 

Cane,  Facino,  185. 
Canea,  154. 
Canova,  337. 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  277. 
Capo  d'  Istria,  94. 
Cappelari,  122. 
Carceri,  The,  203,  206. 
Cardona,  280,  281. 
Carita,  La,  Convent  of,  347,  356. 
Carmagnola,  175,  184-198,  245,  281. 
Carnival  Thursday,  141. 
Carpaccio,  359,  360. 
Carrara,  Francesco  da,  161. 
Camera,  Andrea  de  Costantino,  241. 
Camera,  Rosalba,  218,  241-244. 
Casa  degli  Spirit!,  172, 173. 
Casalsecco,  194. 
Casal  Maggiore,  193. 
Castellani,  The,  83. 
Castello,  The,  83. 
Castelnuovo,  Count  of,  192. 
Castenedolo,  194. 
Cattaro,  159. 
Cavalli,  155. 


INDEX. 


373 


Cavour,  299. 

Cephalonia,  123,  311. 

Chambord,  Comte  de,  337. 

Champagne,  Count  of,  33. 

Chancellerie  Secrete.  Histoire  de  la,  118. 

Charles  Albert,  296,  298. 

Charles  V.,  281,  360. 

Charlotte  Lusignan,  226,  227,  230,  232. 

Chartres,  Count  of,  33. 

Chicago,  125. 

Chioggia,   98,    140,    149,  150,  152-158, 

160,  167,  212. 
Chios,  311. 
Chiozzotti,  The,  163. 
Christina,  St.,  312. 
Clerc,  Le,  350. 
Clough,  Arthur  Hugh,  266. 
Colbert,  130. 

Colleoni,  175,  198-201,  364. 
Columbian  Exposition,  125. 
Columbus,  Christopher,  251-254. 
Columns  of  Executions,  140,  149,   197, 

267,  268,  288-290,  351. 
Comans,  The,  68-70. 
Como,  Lake,  113. 
Confederacy  of  the  Lombards,  4. 
Conon  de  Bt-thune,  55. 
Constantine  67. 
Constantine,  Prefect,  51. 
Constantine,  Square  of,  55. 
Constantinople,  32,   42,   45-49,  53,  56, 

57,  60,  62,  63, 65,  66,  71,  262,  283,  309, 

313. 

Contarini,  91,  332. 

Contarini,  Doge  Andrea,  145,  154-157. 
Contarini,  Arrigo,  304,  310. 
Contarini,  Giovanni,  341. 
Contarini,  I.ucrezia,  177. 
Contarini  Palace,  179, 180, 183. 
Cooper,  114. 
Corbaro,  152, 158. 
Corfu,  46,  47,  292. 
Cornaro,  155. 

Cornaro,  Andrea,  226,  228,  229. 
Cornaro,   Caterina,   218,    226,  228-241, 

245,  359. 

Cornaro,  Giorgio,  235,  236,  240. 
Cornaro,  Marco,  232. 
Corpus  Domini,  72. 
Council  of  Three,  114,  115. 
Council  of  Ten,  111-120,  126,  129,  143- 

145,  152,  161,  177,  181,  182,  197,  216, 

219,  235,  245,  246,  281,  286-292,  323, 

325,  330,  340,  351. 


Credi,  Lorenzo  di,  200. 

Crema,  280. 

Croatia,  67. 

Crozat  Hotel,  242. 

Crozat,  Pierre,  242,  243. 

Curzola,  96. 

Custom  House,  83. 

Custoza,  300. 

Cyclades,  The,  67. 

Cyprus,  147,  161,    226-235,    263,    282, 

283. 

Cyprus,  King  of,  226,  227,  231. 
Cyprus,  Queen  of,  218,  226,  228,  229, 

232. 


D. 

Dalmatia,  67,  115. 

Dandolo,  91,  98. 

Dandolo,  Andrea,  96,  97,  320. 

Dandolo,  Enrico,  32,  35,  40-45,  47,  49, 
51,  57,  58,  65-71,  184,  262. 

Dandolo,  Giovanni,  93. 

Dandolo,  Raniero,  39,  46. 

Dardanelles,  The  Straits  of,  48. 

Deacon  John,  26. 

Decameron,  The,  206. 

Decemvirs,  The,  116,  117. 

Diaz,  277. 

Didymotichos,  67. 

Dogado,  The,  121. 

Dogana,  The,  80,  209. 

Dogaressa,  The,  9,  104,  105,  113,  141, 
219,  225,  365. 

Dolomitic  Alps,  168. 

Donatello,  199. 

Donate,  Marco,  108,  110. 

Donate,  St.,  311. 

Donato,  San,  Cathedral  of,  123, 124. 

Don  John  of  Austria,  283. 

Doria,  153,  155. 

Doria,  Lampa,  96,  97,  99. 

Doria,  Luciano,  146-148. 

Doria,  Pietro,  149-151. 

Ducal  Chapel,  159,  208. 

Ducal  Palace,  8,  27,  41,  71,  76,  103,  105, 
106,  134,  159,  179-183,  202,  209,  215, 
219,  221,  223,  228,  248,  256,  257,  268, 
280,  332,  340,  349,  352,  358,  362,  367. 

Ducas,  Alexius,  56. 

Durazzo,  46,  67. 

Durer,  Albert,  247. 


374 


INDEX. 


E. 

Elena,  Queen,  227. 

Elena,  St.,  2. 

Elenora  of  Portugal,  134. 

Elisabetta,  Sant',  23. 

Emo,  Governor,  313. 

Emo,  Pietro,  149,  150. 

Erasmus,  330. 

Ethereals,  The,  178. 

Euganean  Hills,  167,  207,  237. 

Evorea,  Bishop  of,  311. 


F. 

Falieri,  The,  364. 

Faliero,  Marino,  140-144,  207,  245,  351, 

352. 

Famagosta,  230,  231,  233,  235,  283. 
Fassone,  156. 
Fenice,  La,  317. 
Ferdinand  of  Naples,  228,  230. 
Fergusson,  204. 
Ferrara,  238. 

Ferrara,  Peace  of,  195,  276. 
Festa  delle  Marie,  211. 
Fiaramingo,  348. 
Fieschi,  Admiral,  146. 
Filippo  Maria,  Duke,  186. 
Flanders,  Count  of,  46,  58,  61-63,  65. 
Florence,  188-190,  200. 
Florentines,  The,  176, 188,  189, 191,  278. 
Florian  Cafe",  317. 
Fondachi,  The,  247,  248. 
Fondaco  del  Turchi,  236,  326. 
Fondamenta  Nuove,  121. 
Forty,  The,  175. 
Fortunate,  Patriarch,  27. 
Fosca,  Saint,  311. 
Fosca,  St.,  Church  of,  169. 
Foscari,  The,  175. 
Foscari,  Doge  Francesco,  175,  177,  182- 

186,  196,  286. 

Foscari,  Jacopo,  177-184,  222,  282. 
Foscari  Palace,  76,  283. 
Foscarini,  Antonio,  289,  290. 
Foscarini,  Doge  Marco,  319,  321. 
Foulkes  of  Neuilly,  32. 
Fountain  Amorous,  235. 
Fourth  Crusade,  347,  350. 
Francis  I.,  183,  281. 
Francis  Joseph,  Emperor,  301. 
Frari,  The,  289,  366. 


Frari,  Convent  of  the,  245,  360. 
Frederick  Barbarossa,  3,  4,  6. 
Frederick  III.,  Emperor,  132-135. 
Free  Lances,  185. 
Furber,  Mr.  H.,  125. 


G. 

Galata,  Tower  of,  50,  59. 

Gama,  Vasco  di,  277,  278. 

(ia m  Harare,  241. 

Gamberato,  Girolamo,  349. 

Garibaldi,  84,  298,  299. 

Gautier,  342. 

Geminiano,  San,  Church  of,  31. 

Genoa,  106,  115, 146,  149,  151,  158,  186, 

187,  226,  232. 
Ghost  Stories,  170-173. 
Giants'  Staircase,  295,  351. 
Giardini  Pubblici,  3,  209. 
Gibbon,  43,  48,  50,  60,  62,  63. 
Giblet,  Tristan,  334. 
Gibraltar,  Straits  of,  278. 
Giorgio  (Ballerino),  132,  134-136. 
Giorgio,  San,  76,  79,  83,  84. 
Giorgio    Maggiore,   San,  14,   203,  209, 

307. 

Giorgione,  219,  308. 
Giudecca,  La,  74,  75,  84,  153,  209. 
Ginstina,  Rosso,  110. 
Giustiniani,  109, 152,  153,  284. 
Giustiniani,  Casa,  74. 
Giustiniani,  Niccolo,  73. 
Giustiniani,  Pietro,  309. 
Giustiniani,  Taddeo,  151. 
Goethe,  262. 
Golden  Horn,  The,  48,  50,  58,  70, 154, 

309. 

Golden  Rose,  The,  9,  225. 
Gondolier's  Cries,  173,  174. 
Gonzago,  Duchess  Isabella,  330. 
Good  Friday,  88. 
Goro,  4. 
Gradenigo,  90,  94,  95, 101, 106,  108, 109, 

111-113,  212. 
Grand  Canal,  76,  81,  229,  236,  239,  247, 

301,  334,  347,  369. 
Grassi,  Giovanni,  268. 
Great  Council,  The,   12,   13,  286,  287, 

290-292.  330,  345. 
Great  Council-Chamber,  144,  346,  350, 

369. 
Gregory  XVI.,  Pope,  122. 


INDEX. 


375 


Grimani,  Antonio,  367. 

Grimani,  Cardinal,  332. 

Grimani,  Doge  Marino,  225. 

Gritti,  Doge  Andrea,  344. 

Guattemalata,  199. 

Guy,  Abbot  of  Vaux-Cernay,  41,  42, 


H. 

Hagia  Sophia,  63. 

Hall  of  the  Great  Council,  228.  295. 

Hawkwood,  Sir  John,  157. 

Hazlitt,  7,  33,  64, 112,  115,  149,  176. 

Hellespont,  The,  67. 

Henry  III.,  215,  222,  257,  283,  345. 

Hippodrome,  55. 

Histoire  de  la  Chancellerie  Secrete,  118. 

Holy  Land,  33. 

"  Holy  League,"  280. 

Horses  of  St.  Mark,  64,  262. 

Hospital,  Public,  27. 

Hotels,  Ancient,  of  Venice,  257. 

Howells,  Mr.,  121,  203,  259. 

Hungary,  149. 

Hungary,  King  of,  43. 

Hunt,  Helen,  170. 


I. 


Ibrahim,  Sultan,  284. 

Illumination,  The,  79. 

II  lyric  Islands,  67. 

Immortelles,  The,  178. 

Inner  Temple,  115. 

Innocent  III.,  32,  35,  42,  43,  45,  65,  66. 

Inquisitor!  dei  Dieci,  117. 

Inquisitors  of  the  Ten,  117,  281,  287- 

292. 

Ionian  Sea,  48. 
Irene,  51. 

Irene,  Empress,  271. 
Iron  Crown  of  Lombardy,  300. 
Isaac,  Emperor,  44,  49,  52,  56-58. 
Isidore,  St.,  311. 
Istria,  167. 

J. 

James  Lusignan,  227-231. 
Jameson,  Mrs.,  367. 
Jenson,  Nicolas,  254. 
Jerusalem,  34,  40,  45,  66,  161. 


Jerusalem,  Queen  of,  229. 
John  of  Venice,  26. 
John,  King,  69,  70. 
Julius  II.,  Pope,  280. 
Justina,  Saint,  312. 


K. 

Knights  of  Malta,  284. 
Knights  of  Rhodes,  227. 
Knights  Templars,  80. 


Lace  and  Lace-making,  164-166. 

Lace-work  Goblet,  133. 

Lago  di  Garda,  192. 

Lago  d'  Iseo,  194. 

Lascaris,  Theodore,  68,  69. 

La  Sensa,  Feast  of,  12. 

Lateran,  St.  John,  350. 

Lazzaro,  San,  39,  312,  313. 

Legnano,  Battle  of,  4. 

Leonardo,  Alessandro,  200,  264,  271. 

Lepanto,  215,  283,  342. 

Levant,  The,  70,  247,  276,  282,  284. 

Library  of  St.  Mark,  122,  345. 

Libreria  Vecchia,  332,  333. 

Libro  d'  Oro,  92. 

Lido,  The,  23,  36,  73,  76,  122,  142,  146, 

149,  151,  152,  156,  215,  229,  235,  236. 
Lido,  Porto  di,  2,  153. 
Lioni,  143. 
Lion  of  St.  Mark,  8,  9,  99,  157,  267, 

292. 

Lion's  Mouth,  The,  341. 
Lisbon,  253,  278,  279. 
Lombardo,  271. 
Lombardo,  Moro,  121. 
Lombardo,  Santi,  336. 
Lombards,  The,  167. 
Lombards,  Confederacy  of,  4. 
Lombardy,  193,  197,  280. 
Longfellow,  24. 
Loredan,  Andrea,  337. 
Loredano,  182. 

Loredano,  Doge  Leonardo,  2,  64. 
Louis  XL,  254. 
Louis  XII.,  381. 
Louis  XIV.,  166. 

Louis,  Count  of  Blois  and  Chartres,  33. 
Louis  of  Savoy,  227. 


376 


INDEX. 


Lucrezia  Contarini,  179, 180,  182. 
Luke,  Saint,  64. 
Lusignan,  Caterina  Veneta,  229. 
Lusignan,  James,  226,  228. 

M. 

Macalo,  194. 

Mahomet  the  Second,  64. 

Malamocco,  2, 149.  153,  288. 

Malatesta,  Pandolfo,  239. 

Malpaga,  199. 

Malpasso,  Bridge  of,  108. 

Manfredonia,  157,  158. 

Manin,  Daniele,  294-298,  301. 

Manin,  Ludovico,  293. 

Mannucci  or  Manutio,  326. 

Mappamondo,  The,  122,  352. 

March  of  Treviso,  The,  108. 

Marcello,  Countess  of,  164. 

Marciana,  The,  345. 

Marco  Milione,  96,  340. 

Marco  Polo,  96-100,  338-340. 

Marghera,  297. 

Mark,  St.,  Horses  of,  64. 

Mark,  St.,  Library  of,  122,  345. 

Marmora,  Sea  of,  48. 

Marne,  The,  33. 

Marriage  of  the  Adriatic,  9,  216. 

Marsh,  John  B.,  133,  251. 

Martin  IV.,  Pope,  93. 

Marzoufle,  56-59. 

Mastichelli,  228. 

Mauro,  Frate,  122,  352. 

Mazzorbo,  163, 164. 

Mechitar,  312-314. 

Mechitaristican  Society,  313,  314. 

Medici,  91. 

Memmo,  Jacopo,  183. 

Memmo,  Marin,  183. 

Merceria,  The,  108, 110. 

Mestre,  197,  239,  295. 

Metternich,  293,  294. 

Michael  Angelo,  349. 

Michieli,  91. 

Michieli,  Anna,  73. 

Michieli  III.,  29. 

Michieli,  Doge  Domenico,  270,  311. 

Michieli,  Giovanni,  304,  310. 

Michieli,  Doge  Vitale  I.,  128. 

Michieli,  Doge  Vitale  II.,  27,  153,  257, 

304. 
Milan,  157,  160,  176,  181,  186, 188,  189, 

191,  193,  195-197,  199,  232,  299,  344. 


Milan,  Cathedral  of,  129. 

Milan,  Duke  of,  181, 185-187,  192,  195, 

216,  281. 

Milnes,  Monckton,  173. 
Minerva,  Statue  of,  56. 
Minio,  Bartolommeo,  251,  252. 
Mocenigo,  131,  132, 137,  139,  230,  231. 
Moceuigo,  Admiral,  230,  231. 
Mocenigo,  Lazzaro,  285. 
Mocenigo,  Sebastiano,  313. 
Mocenigo,  Doge  Tommaso,  175. 
Mocetto,  Girolamo,  129. 
Molo,  The,  140,  202,  203,  267,  317. 
Montagnana,  F.  di  F.  da,  238. 
Monte"  di  Pieta,  236. 
Monteferrato,  Boniface,  Marquis  of,  36, 

41,  43-45,  62. 
Montferrat,  61. 
Montfort,  Simon  of,  43. 
Montmorency,  Baron  de,  41. 
Morea,  The,  67,  70,  263,  285,  351. 
Moro,  Doge  Cristoforo,  270. 
Moro,  Giulio  dal,  350. 
Morosini,  65,  66,  218,  225. 
Morosini,  Domenico,  262. 
Morosini,  Francesco,  285,  286,  351. 
Municipal  Museum,  10,  236. 
Murano,  2,  77,  112,  121-131,  135,  137, 

311,  356. 

Muscorno,  Giulio,  289. 
Museo  Civico,  248. 
Music,  Publishing  of,  255. 
Mutinelli,  248. 


N. 

Nani,  332. 

Naples,  4,  149,  181. 

Naples,  Viceroy  of,  288. 

Napoleon,  209,"  210,  292-294,  356. 

Nauplia,  285. 

Navagero,  Andrea,  240,  321,  322,  324. 

Negropont,  153. 

Niccolo  il  Barattiere,  268. 

Nicetas,  61. 

Nicholas  Canabes,  57. 

Nick  the  Blackleg,  268. 

Nicosia,  227,  231,  235,  283. 

Nicosia,  Archbishop  of,  226,  230. 

Nola,  127. 

Novara,  296. 

Novello,  Francesco  Carrara,  207. 


INDEX. 


377 


o. 

Oliphant,  lire.,  73,  144,  184,  200,321, 

326,  327,  358. 
Olivolo,  210,  305. 
Olivolo,  Bishop  of,  210. 
Orio,  Malipiero,  30 
Orologio,  Torre  dell',  264. 
Orseolo  I.,  27. 
Orseolo,  Pietro,  12,  270. 
Oselle,  30. 

Ossuna,  Duke  of,  288. 
Otho  the  Great,  123. 
Otho,  son  of  Barbarossa,  5. 


P. 

Padua,   149,   160,  199,   233,   237,  324, 

343. 

Paglia,  The,  203. 
Pala  dei  Pesari,  La,  366. 
Palad'Oro,  270. 

Palazzo  Bern  bo  alia  Celestia,  338. 
Palazzo  Contarini,  338. 
Palazzo  Cornaro,  228,  229. 
Palazzo  Corner  della  Regina,  236. 
Palazzo  delle  due  Torn,  205. 
Palazzo  Farsetti,  337. 
Palazzo  Ferrara,  236. 
Palazzo  Foscari,  76. 
Palazzo  Imperiale,  333. 
Palazzo  Loredan,  337. 
Palazzo  dei  Poli,  338. 
Palazzo  Vendramin  Calergi,  336. 
Paleologo,  Michele,  212. 
Paleologus,  Elena,  226. 
Palestine,  32,  36,  45,  52. 
Palladio,  283, 356,  369. 
Pallium,  The,  28. 
Pal  ma,    Giovane,   337,   345,    349,    352, 

366. 

Palma  Vecchio,  219,  362,  363. 
Palm  Sunday,  72. 
"  Paradise,"  The,  61. 
Paris,  205- 

Paris  Opera  House,  125. 
Parthenon,  The,  285,  351. 
Paterniano,  St.,  301. 
Patmos,  204. 
Paul  V.,  Pope,  122,  288. 
Paulus,  Bishop  of  Altina,  167. 


Peacocks,  The,  178. 
Pears,  63. 
Pelestrina,  155. 
Pellegrini,  Antonio,  242,  243. 
Pelmo,  168. 
Pentapolis,  167. 
Pera,  Quarter  of,  53,  55. 
Perkins,  Mr.  C.  C.,  166. 
Persano,  Admiral,  301. 
Pesari,  The,  366. 
Peter  of  Capua,  37. 
Peter  II.  of  Cyprus,  147. 
Petrarca,  Cask  del,  205. 
Petrarch,  205-207,  282,  320,  329,  332. 
Petrucci,  Ottaviano,  255. 
Philip,  Duke,  189,  190-192. 
Philip,  Emperor  of  Suabia,  44-46,  66. 
Phinea,  58. 
Piane,  The,  237. 

Piazza  of  St.  Mark,  3,  6,  7,  31,  37,  74, 
79,  81,  93, 102, 105,  108, 141,  150,  179, 
199,  204,  211,  225,  236,  259,  265-268, 
272-274,  280,  295,  310,  328,  333,  348, 
356-358,  363,  369. 
Piazzetta,  The,  3,  5, 24, 79, 180, 197,  202, 

216,  267,  268,  288,  301,  317,  348. 
Piccinino,  199. 
Pico,  Count,  327. 
Piedmont,  160, 187,  296,  298. 
Pierre,  Giacomo,  288. 
Pietra  del  Bando,  267. 
Pietro,  129. 
Pietro  in  Castello,  San,  12. 

"Pilgrim,"  The,  61. 

Pisa,  32. 

Pisani,  The  beautiful,  176,  218. 

Pisani,  Giorgio,  29L 

Pisani,  Vettore,  145-148,  152-158,  160, 
245. 

Pizzighettone,  280. 

Pol,  St.,  Count  of,  46,  62,  66. 

Polo,  176. 

Ponte  della  Paglia,  203. 

Ponte  del  Paradise,  364. 

Ponte  del  Sepolcro,  205. 

Pordenone,  163. 

Porto  d'  Anzo,  146,  218. 

Portugal,  252. 

Presburg,  293. 

Priuli,  235,  236,  278. 

Procuratie,  The,  79. 

Procuratie,  Nuove,  333. 

Pyrenees,  The,  33. 


378 


INDEX. 


Q. 

Qucrini,  Angelo,  291. 
Quirini,  97,  108-110. 
Quirini,  Marco,  107. 
Quirini,  Pietro,  107. 
Quints  Valle,  210. 

R. 

Radetzky,  298. 

Ravenna,  167,  275,  276,  311. 

Kedentore,  Church  of  the,  74,  80,   82, 

209. 

Redentore,  Fete  of  the,  74,  75. 
Regatta,  The,  76. 
Renier,  Doge  Paolo,  291. 
Renouard,  331. 
Rhodes,  227. 
Rhoetian  Alps,  237. 
Rialto,  The,  164,  303,  360. 
Riccio,  187. 

Ridolfi,  189,  191,  359,  367,  369. 
Rio,  352. 

Rio  di  Sant'  Anna,  210. 
Riva  di  San  Marco,  307. 
Riva  degli  Schiavoni,  14,  76,  202,  203, 

205-208. 

Riviera,  The,  154. 
Rizzo,  269. 
Rizzo,  Marin,  234. 
Romagna,  The,  275. 
Romanian  Empire,  67. 
Rome,  227,  232,  299. 
Rosso,  Giustina,  110. 
Royals,  The,  178. 
Ruskin,   Mr.,   122,  168,  261,  272,  332, 

335,  337,  360,  364. 
Rusticiano,  100. 
Rustico  of  Torcello,  304. 


S. 


Sabellico,  Marco  Antonio,  196,  320,  321. 

Sadowa,  300. 

Sagornino,  Giovanni,  26,  320. 

Sagra,  The,  85. 

Saint  Victor,  370. 

Sala  del  Anticollegio,  342. 

Sala  della  Bussola,  341. 

Sala  del  Collegio,  342. 

Sala  del  Consiglio  dei  Died,  344. 

Sala  del  Maggior  Consiglio,  345. 

Sala  dei  Pregardi,  343. 


Salla  delle  Quattro  Porte,  341. 

Sala  dello  Scrutinio,  159,  285,  351. 

Sala  dello  Scudo,  352. 

Sala  del  Senate,  343. 

Salboro,  Battle  of,  5,  348,  349. 

Salute,  Madonna  della,  80. 

Salute,  Maria  della.  Church  of,  79,  209. 

Salviati,  124, 125,  128. 

San  Andrea,  153. 

San  Antonio,  Church  of,  169. 

San  Antonio  di  Castello,  158,  309,  310. 

San  Apostoli,  140,  240. 

San  Barnaba,  179. 

San  Donate,  Cathedral  of,  123,  124. 

San  Eustachio,  194. 

San  Fantino,  152,  159. 

San  Gervasio  e  Protasio,  244. 

San  Giacomo  dell'  Orio,  326. 

San  Gian  Crisostomo,  338. 

San  Giorgio,  76,  79,  83,  84. 

San  Giorgio  Maggiore,  203,  209,  307. 

San  Giovanni  e  Paola,  129,  362. 

San  Giovanni  in  Bragora,  208. 

San  Lazzaro,  312,  313. 

San  Lorenzo,  358,  359. 

San  Luca,  Campo  of,  109. 

San  Marco,   3-6,  9,  24,  27,  32,  34,  37, 
38,  40,  64,  79,  81,  103,  127,  128, 144, 
145,  155,  159,  184,  210,  215,  225,  229, 
236,  267-269,  272,  273,  283,  295,  301, 
303,  305,  306,  308,  311,  332,  358. 
San  Marcaola,  173. 
San  Michele,  21.  121,  122,  297. 
San  Moise,  356. 
San  Niccolo,  2,  4,  11,  36,  73, 83, 151,153, 

236,  307. 

San  Niccolo  di  Bari,  311. 
San  Niccolo  del  Lido,  311. 
San  Pietro,  210.  212. 
San  Pietro  di  Castello,  210. 
San  Pietro,  Island  of,  210,  217. 
San  Salvadore,  240,  304. 
San  Silvestro,  4. 
Sansovino,  208,  269,  332,  369. 
Santa  Maria  Formosa,  211,  362. 
Santa  Maria  Gloriosa  dei  Frari,  364. 
Santa  Maria  dell'  Orto,  366. 
Santa  Maria  della  Pace,  Chapel  of,  364. 
Santa  Maria  Zobenigo,  356. 
San  Teodoro,  310. 
Santo  Spirito,  151, 153. 
Sanudo  II.,  Doge,  211. 
Sanudo  or  Sanuto,  Marino,  263,  280, 309, 
321-326,  337. 


INDEX. 


379 


San  Vio,  72. 

San  Vito,  110,  243. 

ban  Zaccaria,   204,  205,  208,218,   312, 

325. 

San  Zaccaria,  Quarter  of,  216. 
Sau  Zanipolo,  199,  364. 
Saracens,  32. 
Sarpi,  Fra  Paolo,  121. 
Savoy,  194,  232. 
Savcy,  Duke  of,  227. 
Scamozzi,  369. 
Scuola  di  S.  Giovanni  Evangelista,  326, 

358. 

Scuola  di  San  Marco,  199,  364,  367. 
Scuola  di  San  Rocco,  366,  367. 
Scutari,  48,  49. 
Selim  the  Drunkard,  282. 
Selvo,  Doge,  224. 
Serenade,  The,  78. 

Serrata  del  Consiglio  Maggiore,  95, 100. 
Servia,  67. 
Sforza,  199,  200. 
Sforza,  Francesco,  178. 
Sforza  Palace,  180. 
Simon  of  Montfort,  43. 
Sixtus  IV.,  Pope,  276. 
Soissons,  Bishop  of,  61. 
Solferino,  299. 
Solomon,  Temple  of,  271. 
Sophia,   St.,  32,  53,   57,  64-67.  70,  270, 

271. 

Soranzo,  231,  232. 
South  Kensington  Museum,  125. 
Spalato,  Archbishop  of,  240. 
Spanish  Conspiracy,  288. 
Spanish  Succession,  War  of,  282. 
Spinelli,  288. 
Spires,  John  of,  254. 
Sporades,  The,  67. 
Sposalizio,  The,  11,  12. 
Star  Company  of  Milan,  157. 
Steno,  Michele,  141,  147. 
Stocking,  Company  of  the,  177. 
Straits  of  Gibraltar,  278. 
Strike  of  the  Gondoliers,  20-22. 
Suabia,  Philip,  Emperor  of.  44. 
Suleiman  the  Mngnificent,  282. 
Syria,  47. 

T. 

Taine,  260,  345,  353,  367. 
Tard  Venus,  The,  157. 
Ten,  Chief  of  the,  175. 


Ten,  Council  of,  111,  112, 114-117,  119, 
120,  126,  129,  143-145,  152,  161,  177, 
181,  182,  197,  216,  219,  235,  245,  246, 
281,  286-292,  323,  325,  330,  340,  351. 

Ten,  Inquisitors  of  the,  117,  175,  287- 
292. 

Thayer,  W.  R.,  294,  295. 

Theobald,  Count  of  Champagne,  33.  36. 

Theodora,  Dogaressa,  224. 

Theodore,  St.,  267,  303-306. 

Thessaly,  67. 

Thessalonica,  King  of,  70. 

Thrace,  51. 

Three,  Council  of,  114,  115. 

Tiepolo,  73,  91,  93, 109,  111,  113. 

Tiepolo,  Bajamonte,  107,  326. 

Tiepolo,  Doge  Giacomo,  365. 

Tiepolo,  Lorenzo,  103,  266. 

Tintoretto,  Domenico.  348-350. 

Tintoretto,  Jacopo,  219,  224,  283,  307, 
332,  333,  343,  345-347,  349,  350,  352, 
366-369. 

Titian,  219,  229,  333,  343,  349,  360-363, 
365,  366. 

Tofano,  168. 

Torcello,  166-170,  311,  312. 

Tradenigo,  Doge,  204. 

Trajanople,  67. 

Treasury  of  St.  Mark,  271. 

Trebizond,  Emperor  of,  226. 

Treviso,  140,  181, 189, 197. 

Treviso,  March  of,  108. 

Trieste,  2,  33,  181,  211. 

Troyes,  Bishop  of,  61. 

True  Cross,  271. 

Turin,  159,  299. 

Tyre,  270,  311. 

V. 

Valdemarino,  Count  of,  140. 

Valier,  The  Doges,  365. 

Valle  dei  Sette  Morti,  172. 

"  Valli,"  The,  167. 

Valtelline,  War  of  the,  282. 

Vaporetti,  The,  20. 

Varangians,  The,  50,  52,  55,  57,  67. 

Vasari,  367. 

Vassilacchi,  Antonio,  341. 

Vatican,  The,  66. 

Vaux-Cernay,  Abbot  Guy  of,  41,  42. 

Vecelli,  Marco,  343,  344. 

Vendramini,  Andrea,  358. 

Venier,  Sebastian,  283,  342. 


380 


INDEX. 


Veroccbio,  200,  201,  364. 

Verona,  140,  282,  291. 

Veronese,  224,  283,  332,  342,  345,  349, 

362. 

Vioentino,  Andrea,  159,  341,  349,  350. 
Vicenza,  237,  282. 
Victor  Emmanuel,  300-302. 
Vidaore,  Andrea,  129. 
Vienna,  294,  301. 
Vienna,  Royal  Academy  at,  325. 
Villafranca,  Peace  of,  299. 
Villa  Marocco,  108. 
Villehardouin,  33,  34,  47,  52,  63,  69. 
Vio,  San,  72. 

Visconti,  91,  186,  189, 193,  195. 
Visconti,  FUippo  Maria,  185. 
Visconti,  Galeazzo,  160. 
Visconti,  Gian  Maria,  185. 
Visconti,  Valentina,  147, 
Vittoria,  Alessandro,  205,  349. 
Vivarini,  The,  356. 


Y. 


Yriarte,  128,  220. 


z. 

Zanetti,  360. 

Zanipolo,  The,  144,  199,  364. 

Zara,  3T,  41-44,  66. 

Zaratines,  The,  41,  42,  46,  99,  115. 

Zarla  Lusignan,  231,  233. 

Zattere,  The,  23,  317. 

Zeno,  Cardinal,  271. 

Zeno,  Carlo,  145,  147,  149, 150, 154, 156, 

157, 160,  161,  320. 
Zeno,  Donato,  148. 
Zeno,  Jacopo,  160. 
Zeno,  Marino,  71. 
Zeno,  Pietro,  161. 
Zeno,  Doge  Renier,  102,  103. 
Zeno  the  Unconquered,  162. 
Ziani,  91. 
Ziani,  Doge  Sebastiano,  4,  5, 13^30-32, 

268,  350. 
Zonta,  The,  286. 
Zucchero,  Federigo,  349. 
Zurla,  Placido,  122. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A    000681  317    4 


